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[[File:President Syria Bashar al Assad.jpg|150px|thumb|right]]

[[File:President Syria Bashar al Assad.jpg|150px|thumb|right]]

'''Bashar al-Assad''' is the current president of [[Syria]]. As a member of the [[Ba'ath Party]] of Syria, he is a [[socialist]] [[dictator]], though in his reign some limited [[free market]] reforms were implemented. In 2011, the [[Arab Spring]] led to widespread protests in his country, the [[Syrian Civil War|war between rebels and Syrian government]] are ongoing, to date, more than 60,000 deaths have taken place. [[Jihad|Jihadists]] are also fighting in this war.

'''Bashar al-Assad''' is the current president of [[Syria]]. As a member of the [[Ba'ath Party]] of Syria, he is a [[socialist]] [[dictator]], though in his reign some limited [[free market]] reforms were implemented. In 2011, the [[Arab Spring]] led to widespread protests in his country, the [[Syrian Civil War|war between islamist rebels and Syrian government]] are ongoing, to date, more than 60,000 deaths have taken place.

 

==Foreign Relations==

The [[Christians in Syria]] enjoy the tolerance of the secular government. But since the [[Syrian Civil War]] they are afraid to loose it, if the jihadist opposition will come in power.

===Foreign Relations===

Under al-Assad, Syria maintains a close alliance with theocratic [[Iran]], despite his more secular form of governance. Like his father [[Hafez al-Assad]], his relation with [[Saddam Hussein]]'s [[Iraq]] was sour and tense, and after [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] he established good relations with the new Iraqi government.

Under al-Assad, Syria maintains a close alliance with theocratic [[Iran]], despite his more secular form of governance. Like his father [[Hafez al-Assad]], his relation with [[Saddam Hussein]]'s [[Iraq]] was sour and tense, and after [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] he established good relations with the new Iraqi government.