Is Kerry dumb or feigning dumbness?

In the local dialect in Tyre, there is a distinction between somebody who is dumb and somebody who is acting dumb.  We wonder whether Kerry is that dumb or he is just acting dumb here:  "Meanwhile, Kerry said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has lasted in power due to support coming from Iran and the Lebanese Shiite guerilla group, Hezbollah."  Does Kerry and Western media really believe that Bashshar remains in power due to support from Hizbullah and Iran? Do you really think that outside support can in itself keep a potentate in power?  If that was the case, the US would have kept the Shah and Mubarak and others around the developing world.  Does Kerry and Western media believe that Bashar would have been able to stay in power that long if he did not possess any elements of domestic support?  I mean, really?