“first and foremost is the citizen”
On July 17, 2000, H.E. President Bashar Al-Assad said in his landmark historic speech ”as we are talking about everything that concerns our people at the domestic as well as external fronts we should not forget that there are the unknown soldiers who do not exert efforts only but who pay with their souls without any price. They are the sons of our military forces, the guardians of our country, the source of our pride and the symbol of bravery and heroism who were and will remain to be ready to defend our country and support our brothers. Our military forces shall remain an example of honor, and perfect national and responsible behavior and shall always remain the focus of our great attention in order to remain able to carry out their duties whenever they are called upon.”
” All our love and appreciation to the members of our glorious army and our high respect and loyalty to the innocent martyrs who fell in battles of honor and duty. I shall not forget to mention our brave people on the Golan who cling tenaciously to their country and their Arab nationality rejecting Zionist existence in all its forms and we say to them we are with you and our steadfastness together is the guarantee that our land will be liberated.
“Dear people, My trust in you is infinite and so is my love to you. I hope you will allow me to emphasize to you a fact I feel that the man you have known and loved some of his merits and exchanged trust and love with him will not change at all once he assumes his post. He came out of the people and lived with them and shall remain one of them. You may expect to see him everywhere whether in the work place or on the streets or in your picnics in order to learn from you and sharpen his determination by his contact with you and shall work for you as he has always done. The man who has become a president is the same man who was a doctor and an officer and first and foremost is the citizen.”
Actually, 18 years after the this speech, President Assad is remarkably repeating the same principles, balanced and national stances, and even with more force, and determination to defend the citizens and the country.
Upon receiving our family members who were liberated by the hero Syrian Army from ISIS terror, President Assad said that Syrians are never ever to forget their missing or kidnapped persons in other regions of Syria as on the second to none priorities, expressing thanks to the men of the hero Syrian Arab Army, without of their sacrifices, martyrs and wounded, no kidnapped could return, and without such Army all of Syria would have been kidnapped.”
” The Army has been protecting Syria and her soil, dignity and people. Every kidnapped liberated was liberated by the blood of the hero Syrian Arab Army. And every one who abstained from the service of the Army and the Homeland shoulders the responsibility for every martyr lost by Syria and by his family,” outlined President Assad.
”Your steadfastness and stances, though of the threats surrounding you, are the source of pride for all Syrians, which prove that dignity and steadfastness are top among the Syrian People characteristics. The Syrian People have been fighting during the past years as to safeguard and protect Syria, their dignity and honor taking the steadfastness of our people in the Syrian Arab Golan as the leading example for nationalism and dignity of the Syrians who are never to compromise on a single grain of the soil of their homeland,” asserted H.E. President Assad.
It was indeed a family meeting between the citizen Assad and a small group of his big family members, including the occupied Golan family members and the hero Sidqi Al-Maqt, whose love for their savior, defender and liberator was beyond every description. Love, amity, fraternity, loyalty and belonging have been shown and strongly represented by breaking the cup of black coffee from which President Assad drank, a symbolic traditional norm of immense respect and love, by the thundering slogans and folkloric songs and by raising H.E. President Assad on the shoulders of his citizens.
Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Mohamad Abdo Al-Ibrahim