DBWI: Bassel Assad killed in 1994 car accident

As we are a few days away from the first anniversary of the Syrian Civil War, I was intrigued by an article in which Syria's President Bassel al-Assad was nearly killed in a car accident on January 21, 1994. Had he died, his younger brother Dr. Bashar al-Assad would have been the heir apparent to Hafez al-Assad.

From what I have read about Bashar who practices opthalmology, he comes off as a quiet shy type unlike Bassel who is known for his love of fast cars. It is hard for me to imagine Bashar as President and ordering the military to cleanse entire villages of Sunni Muslims.

But that is just my opinion. I personally think that a President Bashar Assad borders on ASB.
 
Bashar would probably not get the power. He quietly left Syria way before the Battle of Damascus (and was almost killed by his brother's orders!) for France.
I could see a Junta being set up similar to how Burma operated until recently. Mustafa Tlass, Hafez's old right-hand man could be the Man Behind the Man (he's a Sunni so he probably won't get the top spot. But before Bassel, the regime at least pretended it was somewhat friendly to Sunnis so it's possible).
 
As Plumber says Bashar would not get the nod, personally I think it would be another brother Maher, who commanded the units that carried out the worst atrocities who would be chosen. I can only see Bashar being a figurehead President with the security apparatus pulling his strings, if he tried any sort of genuine liberalisation he'd be deposed.
 
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Since Bassel Assad has been killed in a firefight with NATO forces today, thought I would give this a bump.
 
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