Its not about Saudis , its about Asad , if he relinquishes power to a public representative govt which doesn't have to be a democratic system will set him free. Otherwise if he keeps killing innocent civilians then no one can stop him from becoming Gaddafi 2.0.
I agree in part.
Having said that, I don't think the chance of Asads ending up in a Qaddafi scenario is high up the probability scale by any stretch of imagination. One, he is not out. Two, even if he is, he is far from down, for Bashar and Co will more than likely carve out their own "Kurdistan", and have it supplied and supplied well. Ain't nobody lifted a finger to supply the wretched Big Q as we all have witnessed. Three, should he be down and out, I wager Russia will "retire him out" ... somewhere in Rus possibly. Pity the Big Q indeed.
Would he end up a Sadat? Surely if he lets his guard down so publicly.
But hard as he tries, would he manage to avoid the fate of a
Wasfi al-Tal during the "next 16 years"?
They say he is not like his father or brother. Even his detractors do not accuse him of reveling in corruption (by regional and Asian standards anyway - wife's shopping seems peanuts next to Rania), getting high on dope, hoarding a harem, showering gold on the "london school of economics" only to be happily cashed out by the same lords of the manor (ala Saif)...
Now that Homs is relatively, "tactically" quiet, I sincerely hope his clan spare the man a rope to climb down and live out a Saleh.
By inflicting upon him the 16-year sentence his "inner circle" is condemning him and his family to cruel and unusual punishment.
I know many will beg to differ. But he doesn't deserve this.