For the past decade, Syrian kleptocrat and dictator Bashar Assad has seen himself ostracized by much of the world. In areas controlled by his regime, he used torture to sow terror in the hearts of the Syrian people through the Mukhabarat, a network of intelligence services. In opposition-held areas, he used lethal chemical weapons to target civilians, an atrocity verified by United Nations-backed investigations. Assad has rightly been condemned and isolated for these human rights abuses.
Then came the earthquakes.
Following the disaster, countries that previously kept their distance from Assad began to change course. The president of Egypt called Assad directly to offer condolences and support. It was their first-ever direct exchange. Though Egypt has sought to improve relations with Assad’s regime in recent years, direct contact at the highest level reveals a more fundamental shift in attitudes.
