(Daily Star-Lebanon) Michael Young - There simply is no reform option in Syria, and there never was. Genuine reform means dislodging the bricks holding up the authority of Bashar Assad and his powerful cousin, Rami Makhlouf. Bashar Assad's open-ended presidency, the crony capitalism practiced by his cousin and other members of Syria's elite, the abuse practiced by the all-powerful security services, even Alawite predominance, would never survive a system shaped by free elections, the rule of law, and the existence of independent media.
2011-05-13 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive