WI: Syria under Bassel al-Assad?

So I was reading up on the Assad family and I came across the surprising information that Bassel al-Assad, one of the sons of Hafez al-Assad, was killed in a car crash in January of 1994. This led to Bashir, then a little known medical student studying in London, to be called upon as his father's successor.

So, what if Bassel had been more careful in driving to the airport that night and lived to succeed his father? What would Syria be like under Bassel al-Assad?
 
From what I know, Bassel had been groomed by his father to take over from him and therefore he would have just been a continuation of him. Basher's Western education made many people hopeful that he would bring in a move towards liberalisation but the Syrian regime is packed with his Dad's henchmen and he would never have had a chance to implement reforms. I suspect Basher is simply a figurehead for the senior military and security commanders, his brother would have been more enthusiastic for the sort of harsh measures that are currently being deployed. :(
 
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