By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer

Yesterday’s grand ceremony in Damascus where Dr. Bashar al-Assad took oath for the fourth consecutive time as the elected president of Syria, is ample proof of the failure of the US and its cohorts, including Israel, and the reactionary regimes of the Persian Gulf in their devilish plot to overthrow him through macabrely murderous terrorists.
The Ophthalmologist who placed his hand on the Holy Qur’an and was sworn in on the constitution in the presence of more than 600 guests, including ministers, businessmen, academics and journalists, could indeed be called the greatest stabilizing force in Syria.
In his address to the audience that was televised on the national network, he hailed the Syrian people for standing for their rights and defending the country against foreign conspiracies.
He was obviously referring to the Great Satan (the US) and its devilish minions when he told the nation: “Through your awareness and national zeal, you have proven that the people’s determination in defending their rights won’t weaken no matter what the colonists have cooked up for Syria.”
“They have sought to stir the chaos that burns our homeland, but through your national unity, you have shot the coup de grace at the projects that targeted the homeland.”
As a popular leader who despite being member of the Alawite community, is proud to represent Syria’s overwhelming Sunni Muslim majority as well as the Christian minority, President Assad renewed his declaration of amnesty for those who were misled by the enemies of the country to turn against the government and have now repented of their treason.
He even said that the doors for return to the national fold are open even to those now unwisely siding with the enemy but wish deep down in their hearts for pardon, when he made it clear:
“I repeat my call on all those who have been deceived and bet on the collapse of the homeland and on the fall of the state to return to the lap of the homeland because the bets have fallen and the homeland has remained.”
This speaks volumes of the clemency that is associated with Islam and the attitude of forgiveness in the nature of Muslims following the Messenger of Mercy, Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and his Blessed Ahl al-Bayt, in contrast to the Salafi seditionists that masquerade as ‘puritanical’ Muslims in order to tarnish the image of Islam by massacring devout Sunni Muslims and Christians, but neither harming any Zionist nor posing danger to the interests of Israel.
President Assad thanked the Syrian National Army (SNA), which is mainly composed of the country’s Sunni Muslim majority for standing firmly beside the elected government, and was confident of rebuilding the country with the help of all sections of the Syrian people.
He also expressed gratitude to the friends of Syria whose vital military and economic support have thwarted the dangerous plots of the enemies to destabilize and dismember the country.
It is worth noting that besides the Islamic Republic of Iran, those who firmly supported the Syrian people in overcoming the ten-year long crisis are Russia and Lebanon’s legendry anti-terrorist movement, the Hezbollah.
The next phase of reconstruction in Syria is all set to start with the liberation of the remaining terrorist-held areas of the country near the Turkish borders and the American occupied Deir ez-Zore oilfields, before the final onslaught to drive away the Zionists from the Golan Heights.