12 June 2000 - President al-Assad

Here’s how the presidency works in Syria. When the old prez comes to a timely end, apparatchiks throughout the government slam into gear. Ba’ath Party leaders bring their rubber stamps to ink the once-clean Bashar as designated successor, Parliament amends the Constitution without talking, and the Acting Honcho acts only to name Bashar head of the army. Finally, there’s a one-candidate election. Everything’s railroaded through, and the trains run on time.

It’s a sham—there’s no public debate, no weighing of the issues, nobody has to think. And it sounds wonderful. Sure beats election season!