Letter: Dictatorship hurts Syrians

Sunday, June 18, 2000 | 9:37 a.m.

Syria is a nation that overran Lebanon and whose people believe Lebanon is still a part of Syria. Syria is a nation who kept its people in abject poverty. Syria is a nation that openly attacked its neighbor, Israel. Syria and its leaders openly expressed hatred for Israel and all of its people.

Now we see that the Syrian Constitution is meaningless. Not only is the vice president not the next president, but the constitution was quickly changed so that Assad's oldest son could take his father's place. How easily Syria walked over its constitution. How easily the dynasty is continued.

How easily a small political party overwhelms and controls the majority. Syria is not a democracy. It truly is a dictatorship and we should recognize reality and stop dreaming that Syria will want peace in the Middle East.

I pray that Bashar Assad is more a man then his father. I pray that he has some compassion for his people and that he wants to bring them peace and prosperity.

We will be watching and waiting to see how he handles the "presidency" of Syria. I wish him well.

ROBERT DUBIN

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