Wednesday, September 11, 2013

German Television Interviews the Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad


Excerpts of an interview with the Syrian President featured in a new documentary on the conflict by the filmmaker Hubert Seipel.

The interview was conducted in English but later overdubbed in German for broadcast on the network ARD. This clip is from the documentary in which Mr. Assad's remarks can be heard in the original English.

The filmmaker said that he wanted to speak directly to Mr. Assad because "misinformation and psychological warfare make up a large part of the Syrian civil war." He said that he was frustrated by watching Syria's war unfold in YouTube clips selectively edited by the two sides. So, he said, "my intention was just to let Mr Assad speak about his point of view, so that our viewers can make their own judgment."