By John Q. Hosedrinker 
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Bashar al-Assad was allegedly poisoned in Russia on September 20th and was rushed to a hospital near Moscow, where he spent time in intensive care. The group’s director stated that a reliable source confirmed that al-Assad was targeted in a poisoning operation at his villa near Moscow, though the source claimed the Russian government was not involved. The identity of those behind the alleged poisoning is unknown, with no ties to the Syrian or United States governments. While the Russian government has yet to respond to the matter, the claim is supported by other reports that have also been refuted by fact-checking organizations.
Read the original article here
The story of the deposed Syrian dictator, supposedly poisoned under Putin’s watch, is certainly a juicy one, isn’t it? The whole scenario just reeks of a clandestine operation, a geopolitical chess game played with human lives. It immediately brings to mind the ruthless nature of power and the lengths to which some will go to maintain control.
The core of the matter is this: Russia, needing to cozy up to the current Syrian leadership, might see the removal of Bashar al-Assad as a necessary step. After all, Assad is no longer useful to Putin. He’s more valuable dead. This isn’t just about personal animosity; it’s about strategic interests. Gaining access to air bases and ports in Syria is crucial for Russia’s projection of military might, making the current Syrian government valuable allies.
Now, let’s be honest, the idea of “under Putin’s nose” doesn’t really capture the gravity of the situation. It’s far more likely that this would be “by Putin’s orders.” And, well, let’s just say that Putin has a track record when it comes to silencing those who outlive their usefulness. It’s become almost expected, hasn’t it? Think of the long list of individuals who have met untimely ends, often by poisoning. And let’s be clear, no one else in Russia really has the ability to pull this off.
The timing is interesting, too. The deposed dictator’s presence in Russia has probably become more of a headache than a benefit. The new Syrian leadership, wanting to put him on trial, adds another layer of complexity. Russia, on the other hand, doesn’t want to send him back. Doing so would raise serious questions about their reliability to other puppet states that rely on Russia as an exit strategy. It’s like putting up a sign for other Putin puppets, telling them they are on their own now.
Let’s not forget the atrocities. Assad, the man who gassed his own people, sparked a revolution by torturing children, and oversaw the massacres of hundreds of thousands of civilians. To put it bluntly, the world would hardly mourn his demise. He’s found a haven in Russia, but, as it turns out, that haven might be a prelude to a very unpleasant ending. If this is indeed how he meets his end, it’s hard not to feel like it’s a twisted form of poetic justice. It would be a fitting end for a man who evaded justice in The Hague or Damascus.
The story itself gets murky with claims of the Russian government’s non-involvement. Of course, that’s exactly what one would expect, a way to feign innocence while maintaining plausible deniability. And the idea that this was designed to implicate Russia feels like a convenient deflection tactic. Maybe they’re desperate to reverse their role of receiving and protecting these ex-puppet government heads, maybe they are putting a sign on the window to those other puppets.
The details, too, are almost comical. The notion of a “Novichok-Polonium smoothie” or someone “falling” out of a window evokes a grim sort of black humor. It makes you wonder what will happen to the rumored millions in Syrian money that are likely in his accounts. Suddenly, those assets become a very tempting prize. And, let’s face it, life for Assad in such a situation would be terrifying. The knowledge that every meal, every drink, every moment could be your last would be a heavy burden indeed.
This all raises some serious questions, though. How would this help Russia gain favor with the current Syrian leadership? After all, they know Russia supported Assad for years. Wouldn’t this act of betrayal make Russia look untrustworthy? It’s a legitimate concern and one that highlights the complex and often contradictory nature of international relations. The optics of it all is a bit awkward, given how they’re now ready to stab him in the back after offering him shelter on their soil.
And let’s not forget the other puppets! By making it crystal clear that they’ll throw you under the bus the second you’re inconvenient, they would make it harder to make allies. Maybe, this entire situation is a reminder that Russia is a strategic player that often acts in its own best interests. It’s not a reliable ally or a partner, and its failures in Ukraine have not made it seem to be the best.