Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Syrian dissident, Subhi Hadidi, criticizes Sadiq Jalal Al-Azm for having praised Hafidh Al-Asad

Writing in Qatari mouthpiece, Al-Quds Al-`Arabi, Subhi Hadidi, criticizes Sadiq Jalal Al-Azm for having praised Hafidh Al-Asad back in 2000.  I had forgotten about the the article that Al-Azm had written for New York Review of books, but Hadidi cites him accurately. Al-Azm had written: "Syria was the only country to emerge unscathed from the Gulf crisis and war thanks to the deft and far-sighted way in which President Asad dealt with that perilous situation...During the period before Netanyahu was elected, President Asad acquired additional Arab prestige and popular admiration as a result of the dignified and sober manner in which he conducted Syria’s negotiations with Israel and the United States...Asad has shown himself politically capable of bold decisions, daring initiatives, and decisive actions that have ultimately proved successful and far-sighted, even if unpopular at the time of their initiation..." Hadidi also cites Al-Azm's praise for Walid Mu`allim.