Assad Quote by John F. Kerry
![“People talk about [Bashar] Assad running Syria. He doesn't control his own country. He's down to about 20, 25 percent of the country. What is this fiction that he is somehow the only person who can save Syria? There's - with Assad there, there is no Syria. So that's what the Iranians and the…” quote by John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f3d/john-f-kerry-996_assad_people-talk-about-bashar-assad-running-s_24339.jpg)
“People talk about [Bashar] Assad running Syria. He doesn't control his own country. He's down to about 20, 25 percent of the country. What is this fiction that he is somehow the only person who can save Syria? There's - with Assad there, there is no Syria. So that's what the Iranians and the Russians need to really begin to focus in on.”
About This Quote
Assad's authority over Syria is limited; his removal would not create a vacuum but rather allow other forces to shape the nation.
In simple terms: Assad's control is partial, not total.
Key Takeaway
Power is fragmented, not singular.
Themes
political power
sovereignty
foreign influence
leadership myths
state legitimacy
Mood
cautious
analytical
critical
Type
political analysis
opinion
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- diplomatic negotiations
- media commentary
- academic research
Key Concepts
authoritarianism
regional geopolitics
proxy wars
state fragmentation
Practical Applications
- strategic planning for foreign policy
- risk assessment for investors
Questions to Reflect On
- How does limited authority affect a leader's perceived legitimacy?
- What alternatives exist for Syria's governance without Assad?
A Different Perspective
Some argue Assad remains a central stabilizing figure despite limited control, suggesting his removal could trigger chaos.
![“If [Bashar] Assad himself could save this whole process by saying, "I will engage in a managed transition where we all work together to stabilize the government, save the institutions of government, and turn on ISIL and preserve Syria." That could happen. It all depends on one man, and Russia and…” quote by John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/999/john-f-kerry-996_assad_if-bashar-assad-himself-could-save-this_309200.jpg)
![“I think we can all agree [Bashar] Assad is a bad and evil actor, but I'm not so sure that we want the Islamic rebels to be in charge of Syria either.” quote by Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/065/rand-paul-606_actors_i-think-we-can-all-agree-bashar-assad-is_2125585.jpg)
![“IS [Islamic State] has played a major role in helping Bashar al-Assad to reposition Syria on the international scene. Now, it is almost impossible to come up with a solution that would exclude him. The political game appears to be very cynical indeed.” quote by Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ad8/tariq-ramadan-877_als_is-islamic-state-has-played-a-major-role_2468914.jpg)
![“I'll tell you whose view on [Bashar] Assad is the same as mine. It's Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu. Prime Minister Netanyahu has said Israel doesn't have a dog in that fight because Assad is a puppet of Iran, a Shia radical Islamic terrorist, but at the same time, Prime Minister Netanyahu…” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/574/ted-cruz-487_assad_i-ll-tell-you-whose-view-on-bashar-assad_363189.jpg)
![“Part of the problem that we have currently in the Middle East is that[Bashar] Assad has hung on to power with the very strong support of Russia and Iran and with the proxy of Hezbollah being there basically fighting his battles.” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/49b/hillary-clinton-51_assad_part-of-the-problem-that-we-have-current_1928295.jpg)
![“You cannot bring peace in Syria as long as [Bashar] Assad is, in fact, there.” quote by John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/41d/john-f-kerry-996_assad_you-cannot-bring-peace-in-syria-as-long_56711.jpg)
![“We have to do one thing at a time. We can't be fighting ISIS and fighting [Bashar]Assad. Assad is fighting ISIS. He is fighting ISIS. Russia is fighting now ISIS. And Iran is fighting ISIS.” quote by Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bca/donald-trump-18_assad_we-have-to-do-one-thing-at-a-time-we-can_115458.jpg)
![“[Bashar] Assad is one of the main reasons why ISIS even exists to begin with. Assad is a puppet of Iran.” quote by Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8b6/marco-rubio-355_assad_bashar-assad-is-one-of-the-main-reasons_154139.jpg)
![“I think those who have wanted regime [of Bashar Assad] change have made a mistake.” quote by Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6b2/rand-paul-606_assad_i-think-those-who-have-wanted-regime-of_280205.jpg)
![“If we topple [Bashar] Assad, the result will be ISIS will take over Syria, and it will worsen U.S. national security interests.” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0c0/ted-cruz-487_assad_if-we-topple-bashar-assad-the-result-wil_328595.jpg)