Paranoid much? Isn't this what every dictator says when people rise up? It's the flavor of the month with Robert Mugabe but they always try to pin the problem on anyone but themselves. Now that he fired his cabinet, let's see if anyone cares. Al Jazeera:
"I know that the Syrian people have been awaiting this speech since last week, but I was waiting to get the full picture ... to avoid giving an emotional address that would put the people at ease but have no real effect, at a time when our enemies are targeting Syria," he said.
During his speech, that lasted almost one hour, Assad took aim at social networking websites and pan-Arabic satellite television news channels but made no mention of any plans to lift the state of emergency.
Assad said he supported reform but offered no new commitment to change Syria's rigid, one-party political system.
"Staying without reforms is destructive to the country," Assad said, without elaborating on a pledge by his adviser Bouthaina Shaaban last week that the president would look into lifting the emergency law.
