Thanks for this detailed assessment, Alex. Indeed, I believe Assad is he most consequential leader in Syrian history, none of which are for good reasons. Unless the opposition can unite, the Syrian people will continue to suffer under Assad’s iron grip.
I would love to see a constitutional republic established in the Middle East, but I’m not sure that will ever happen with the religious disputes. If it does, it will have to occur organically and not forced by an outside power like the United States.