Bashar al-Assad – President of Syria
It seems ironic that the one concession Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has made to protesters is to lift the official state of emergency that has been in place since 1963. The current situation requires urgent action from someone. Well over 1000 people have been killed since the protests began, and 10 times as many have fled to neighbouring Turkey. The demand he refuses to meet is that he step down.
So there he remains, the de-facto monarch in a single party state, he succeeded his father following the elder al-Assad’s death in 2000. Hafez al-Assad had been grooming Bashar’s older brother for his succession, but Basil al-Assad died in a car accident. All in all, you have the plot of modern-day tragedy in the tale of Bashar al-Assad. His refusal to admit that he simply isn’t wanted, not even by his father, means he cuts a ridiculous figure, whether in his handsome underpants, or dressed for statesmanship.
Until the Syrian people’s voice is heard over the gunfire, al-Assad struts into place among the other World Leaders in Their Underpants here.
