Bashar Al-Assad Quotes & Sayings

Freedom and democracy are nothing but instruments, just like stability. The goal is called progress and growth. Anyone who puts freedom ahead of stability is hurting growth. — Bashar Al-Assad

In the United States, they always talk about subtitles, about chapters in a book without taking the main title of the book. They talk about a subtitle in a chapter and if you ask them about the headline, the main title, they say they do not know. — Bashar Al-Assad

We, in Syria, our point of view stems from our experience. — Bashar Al-Assad

We are facing an external attack against us, which is more dangerous than any other previous wars ... We are dealing with those who are extremists, who only know the language of killing and criminality. — Bashar Al-Assad

We believe that Lebanon has been the first real experience for all the Arabs. — Bashar Al-Assad

The problem with the West is that they start with political reform going towards democracy. If you want to go towards democracy, the first thing is to involve the people in decision making, not to make it. — Bashar Al-Assad

When Lebanon started its resistance it was a small and divided country. — Bashar Al-Assad

I cannot afford to make mistakes. — Bashar Al-Assad

You cannot have democracy without the institutions. You cannot have a democracy that is built on the moods of self-interested people. — Bashar Al-Assad

Conversely, it is correct to say that bringing about peace would be the best way to fight terror. — Bashar Al-Assad

If you are going to be a mediator or arbitrator you have to be in the middle between the two sides; you cannot take sides only with one party. — Bashar Al-Assad

As far as we are concerned, we Syria have not changed. — Bashar Al-Assad

I don't believe in war, I believe in the principle of deterrence. — Bashar Al-Assad

If you want to be transparent with your people, do not do anything cosmetic, whether to deceive your people or to get some applaud from the West. — Bashar Al-Assad

It would be a mistake to link anything that Israel does to a certain circumstance. And it is a mistake to feel comfortable in any circumstance just because Israel did not act on it. — Bashar Al-Assad

Syria is geographically and politically in the middle of the Middle East. — Bashar Al-Assad

The most significant indicator that there is no disaster in Iraq is the fact that there is no exodus. — Bashar Al-Assad

It is natural that we should always expect an Israeli attack, even when it does not threaten. — Bashar Al-Assad

Terrorism is a state of mind that on the one hand has to do with ignorance and, on the other hand, can be attributed to a feeling of desperation over the political situation, which at some point takes the form of revenge. — Bashar Al-Assad

Reform has to be based on opening your mind and opening the mind does not come from decrees or laws. It comes from a whole set of circumstances, which if you do not have, anything you do will be not productive or will be counter-productive. — Bashar Al-Assad

Politics is about realities, not logic. — Bashar Al-Assad

Despite the ethnic diversity within each nation, the social fabric of the region by and large is one. — Bashar Al-Assad

How can you be afraid to feel? Isn't fear a feeling? If you're feeling fear, you've felt one of the most negative emotions there is to feel. Everything else should be a piece of cake. Feel good, feel happy, feel healthy, feel loved, feel abundant, feel creative, feel compassionate, feel knowledgeable, feel powerful. — Bashar Al-Assad

As soon as the legitimate Lebanese government is convinced that the conditions have ripened and that Lebanon is able to maintain stability on its own ... Then, the Syrian forces will return to their homeland. — Bashar Al-Assad

The problem is not the occupation, but how people deal with it. — Bashar Al-Assad

Under Syrian law, a journalist is not allowed to report on military matters. This may be wrong or right, but that's just the way it is. — Bashar Al-Assad

You in Lebanon, your power is no match to Israel. Israel, militarily, is more powerful than you and maybe it is more powerful than all the Arab countries, or most of them. — Bashar Al-Assad

In Great Britain, an author published a book in which he claimed that Jesus Christ had children. Such statements don't trigger civil unrest and bloodshed in Europe. But write similar statements about Islam in Syria and you might see bloody uprisings. — Bashar Al-Assad

Circumstances don't matter, only my state of being matters. What state of being are you choosing? — Bashar Al-Assad

Israel does not care about the international public opinion. — Bashar Al-Assad

When we analyze this war in a materialistic way and ask when is it going to end and who will be the winner and the loser, it means that we do not see the endgame. — Bashar Al-Assad

History teaches us that nobody can prevent a resistance group from arming when it has the support of the people. — Bashar Al-Assad

[Enemies of Syria] are the enemies of the people and the enemies of God. And the enemies of God will go to hell. — Bashar Al-Assad

We have more difficult circumstances than most of the Arab countries but in spite of that Syria is stable. Why? Because you have to be very closely linked to the beliefs of the people. This is the core issue. — Bashar Al-Assad

Its not about learning to trust. Its about learning what it is I place my trust in and why. Its like learning to see the forest for the trees. You cannot see the forest for the trees unless you are outside the forest. — Bashar Al-Assad

We are dealing with treachery and threats, which accompanied the establishment of Israel. — Bashar Al-Assad

I don't want to talk about methods of killing. But what is the difference between a bomb worn on the body and one dropped from an airplane? Both of them kill people. — Bashar Al-Assad

It should be known that Israel is based on treachery. — Bashar Al-Assad

Simply naming objectives isn't sufficient for a vision. If I say that I'm going to build a large palace, but I don't have any money to do so, then that is not a vision - it's an illusion. — Bashar Al-Assad

The logical thing is to implement the Arab Defense Agreement. — Bashar Al-Assad

The U.S. and Britain are incapable of controlling all of Iraq. — Bashar Al-Assad

Almost all countries have natural dividing lines, and when ethnic and religious partition occurs in one country, it'll soon happen elsewhere. — Bashar Al-Assad

Even a president makes mistakes. — Bashar Al-Assad

Whether you call it terrorism or resistance, and whether you like Hamas or not, it is a political entity that no one can ignore. — Bashar Al-Assad

The captain doesn't think about death, or life, he thinks about saving his ship, — Bashar Al-Assad

People do not only live on interests; they also live on beliefs, especially in very ideological areas. Unless you understand the ideological aspect of the region, you cannot understand what is happening. — Bashar Al-Assad

Hizbullah is not a militia. — Bashar Al-Assad

There can be no peace without unity. — Bashar Al-Assad

I am Syrian, I was made in Syria, I have to live in Syria and die in Syria. — Bashar Al-Assad

Think of the war against terrorism. In my view, Washington's approach can be compared to a doctor constantly banging away at a tumor instead of removing it surgically. — Bashar Al-Assad

My primary goal is to create prosperity. — Bashar Al-Assad

In the End, a Lie Is a Lie. — Bashar Al-Assad

No government in the world kills its people, unless it's led by a crazy person. — Bashar Al-Assad

America is interested in re-arranging the region as it sees fit. — Bashar Al-Assad

Armies are not only for offensives. — Bashar Al-Assad

This is the Middle East, where every week you have something new; so whatever you talk about this week will not be valuable next week. — Bashar Al-Assad

Look at the results of regime change in Iraq. You can't possibly claim that it was successful. — Bashar Al-Assad

They want to criticize you, let them criticize and do not worry. Just be transparent with your people and tell them this is the reality. — Bashar Al-Assad

No doubt that the U.S. is a super-power capable of conquering a relatively small country, but is it able to control it? — Bashar Al-Assad

Hamas will not disappear. Hamas will not raise the white flag. Hamas has the trust of the people, and anyone who wishes to destroy it must destroy an entire people. — Bashar Al-Assad

I am not a puppet. I was not made by the West to go to the West or to any other country. — Bashar Al-Assad

If you ask Americans whether they've been successful at sealing the border with Mexico, they'll tell you that it's a very difficult proposition. — Bashar Al-Assad

You cannot reform your society or institution without opening your mind. — Bashar Al-Assad

Israeli interests are not necessarily in harmony with the American interests. — Bashar Al-Assad

Every country has criminals who have to be fought. They can exist anywhere, including the government or the army - or outside the government and army. — Bashar Al-Assad

Personally, I do not support the concept of suicide bombings. This is not part of our [syrian] culture. But whether you condemn them or not, suicide bombings are a reality. — Bashar Al-Assad

I am president, I don't own the country so they are not my forces. — Bashar Al-Assad

America must listen. It must listen to the interests of others. But the US government has no interest in similarities, no matter how obvious. — Bashar Al-Assad

But for us, in Syria, we have principles. We'll do anything to prevent the region from another crazy war. It's not only Syria. Because it will start in Syria ... — Bashar Al-Assad

But the issue has to do with land, which is our land. — Bashar Al-Assad

You have to be very closely linked to the beliefs of the people. This is the core issue. When there is divergence between your policy and the people's beliefs and interests, you will have this vacuum that creates disturbance. — Bashar Al-Assad

None of us and none of the Arabs trust Israel. — Bashar Al-Assad

Israel ranks her priorities in the following way: security, land, and water. — Bashar Al-Assad

It's not exactly fair to make a mistake yourself and then start blaming others for it. — Bashar Al-Assad

Lebanon was under Israeli occupation, up to its capital, but we did not consider that a disaster. Why? Because it was very clear that there are ways to resist. — Bashar Al-Assad

Many people do not understand the difference between peace and a peace treaty. If you want to have real peace with normal relations between people, you need to have comprehensive peace. — Bashar Al-Assad

Those who arrived on America's tanks are not credible in Iraq. — Bashar Al-Assad

Today, the Iraqi citizen sees that America is coming and wants to occupy his country and kill him, and he is willing to experience for himself what happened in Palestine. — Bashar Al-Assad

It's a dangerous thing when someone gets up in the morning and has nothing to eat. — Bashar Al-Assad

Since its very inception, Israel has been a threat. — Bashar Al-Assad

The first thing you have to learn is how to conduct dialogue and how to make it productive. — Bashar Al-Assad

It is even more so when it comes to Iraq, which is a large Arab country with scientific, material, and human resources and is able to accomplish, at the least, what Lebanon accomplished, and more. — Bashar Al-Assad

The place where the interests of all parties come together is the international community, along with its resolutions. — Bashar Al-Assad

[The Jews] tried to kill the principles of all religions with the same mentality in which they betrayed Jesus Christ and the same way they tried to betray and kill the Prophet Muhammad. — Bashar Al-Assad

It is not my democracy as a person; it is our democracy as a society. — Bashar Al-Assad

Is there an equality of power between America and Iraq? Definitely not; however, the Iraqi people are standing fast and are defending their land courageously. — Bashar Al-Assad

When our interests matched, the Americans have been good to us, and when the interests differed, they wanted us to mold ourselves to them, which we refused. — Bashar Al-Assad

The fact that there are people who criticize me doesn't mean that people hate me. — Bashar Al-Assad

Worry does not mean fear, but readiness for the confrontation. — Bashar Al-Assad

Trust that the thing in life that excites you the most comes complete with all the tools necessary to support you in the doing of that thing. It is automatic; it is built in. All you need to do is act on the opportunities that doing that situation brings to you. — Bashar Al-Assad

There is no such things as "Islamic terrorism," because terrorism differs from Islam. There's just terrorism, not Islamic terrorism. But the term "Islamic terrorism" has become widespread. — Bashar Al-Assad

The Israeli lobby has clout in the U.S., which means that re-arranging the region and controlling its resources one way or another, will serve Israel through its control over the American administration. — Bashar Al-Assad