Like any father, Hafez al-Assad would be rolling over in his grave if he knew his son, Bashar, was being portrayed by the Trump Administration via Press Secretary Sean Spicer as worse than Hitler.

Hafez (picture above in this 1992 photo I took near Homs) never envisioned that his youngest son, Bashar, would succeed him. He was grooming his eldest son, Bassel, for that task. In 1992, Syrians were warming up to that prospect as seen in this shopfront (below) in Qamishli selling framed photos of Bassel. But Bassel was a bit of a playboy and liked fast cars. He was killed in an auto accident in 1994. That accident forever changed the direction of Syrian politics.

At the time of Bassel’s death, Bashar was happily leading the life of an ophthalmologist in London. He was a quiet and reserved man and had no interest in politics nor the military. But after Bassel’s death he suddenly became Syria’s heir apparent. Hafez summoned Bashar to return to Syria where he groomed his son to become Syria’s leader. Hafez instructed Bashar to continue his brand of Arab Socialism which was helping Syria to prosper but also no doubt told his son he would have to rule with an iron fist if he was to keep a country together which was artificially created by a Frenchman and an Englishman in the midst of World War I. Hafez died in 2000 and Bashar took the reins shortly after.

So how does a man go from being a quiet and reserved ophthalmologist in London to – according to the Trump Administration’s policy of the week – one of world history’s most callous dictators?

I wish someone could just spell the facts out to me. I just don’t believe anything these days.

The Western media portrays Bashar as a butcher who will mercilessly kill his own people in the most inhumane ways. Before any kind of investigation on the chemical attack at Khan Sheikhoun took place, the Trump Administration immediately made Bashar accountable for the attack.

And yet there are many who say it just ain’t so. They say Bashar’s hands are clean … he’s being framed by the al Queda and ISIS rebels and the fighters from 81 countries who have invaded his country and who have the most to gain by Trumpian policies directed at regime change. There are many who say he’s being smeared by the Western powers in order to promote their own self-interests.

So who do you believe…who do you believe…hmmmm…I wish I knew.