'''Hafez al-Assad''' (1930 - 2000) was the president of [[Syria]] from 1970 to 2000. He was the leader of the Leftist Syrian [[Ba'athist]] party, but he had also close ties to Western countries. Assad was an [[Alawites|Alawite]]. After his death, his son [[Bashar al-Assad]] took power over Syria. During the [[Gulf War]] and the [[Iran-Iraq War]] Assad opposed [[Saddam Hussein]]. | '''Hafez al-Assad''' (1930 - 2000) was the president of [[Syria]] from 1970 to 2000. He was the leader of the Leftist Syrian [[Ba'athist]] party, but he had also close ties to Western countries. Assad was an [[Alawites|Alawite]]. After his death, his son [[Bashar al-Assad]] took power over Syria. During the [[Gulf War]] and the [[Iran-Iraq War]] Assad opposed [[Saddam Hussein]]. |