NEW YORK TIMES: The former American envoy for Syria said on Thursday that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria was likely to remain in power for the “medium term” and that a year from now the country would probably still be under the control of competing factions.
“It is hard to imagine that Assad is going in the short term, and even in the medium term, to lose control of the area between Aleppo south to Damascus and then over to the coast,” said the diplomat, Robert S. Ford.
“He will control that area — geographically it is maybe a fourth of the country,” said Mr. Ford, who added that it includes most of Syria’s major cities. “But the other three-quarters will be under the control of different armed elements or contested among different armed elements.” … (more)
