Syria

NATO data: Assad winning the war for Syrians’ hearts and minds

After two years of civil war, support for the regime of

Syrian President Bashar Assad was said to have sharply increased

World Tribune,

31 May, 2013

NATO has been studying data that told of a sharp rise in support for

Assad. The data, compiled by Western-sponsored activists and organizations, showed that a majority of Syrians were alarmed by the Al Qaida takeover of the Sunni revolt and preferred to return to Assad, Middle East Newsline reported.

“The people are sick of the war and hate the jihadists more than Assad,”

a Western source familiar with the data said. “Assad is winning the war

mostly because the people are cooperating with him against the rebels.”

The data, relayed to NATO over the last month, asserted that 70 percent

of Syrians support the Assad regime. Another 20 percent were deemed neutral and the remaining 10 percent expressed support for the rebels.

The sources said no formal polling was taken in Syria, racked by two

years of civil war in which 90,000 people were reported killed. They said

the data came from a range of activists and independent organizations that

were working in Syria, particularly in relief efforts.

The data was relayed to NATO as the Western alliance has been divided

over whether to intervene in Syria. Britain and France were said to have

been preparing to send weapons to the rebels while the United States was

focusing on protecting Syria’s southern neighbor Jordan.

A report to NATO said Syrians have undergone a change of heart over the

last six months. The change was seen most in the majority Sunni community,

which was long thought to have supported the revolt.

“The Sunnis have no love for Assad, but the great majority of the

community is withdrawing from the revolt,” the source said. “What is left is

the foreign fighters who are sponsored by Qatar and Saudi Arabia. They are

seen by the Sunnis as far worse than Assad.”