Russia Has Doubts That Syrian President Assad Can Survive

Russia Has Doubts About Syria President's Ability To Hold On -- L.A. Times

A Russian official suggests Moscow could offer asylum to Syrian President Bashar Assad, if he requests it.

MOSCOW — Russian officials, who have strenuously resisted U.S.-led efforts to push Syrian President Bashar Assad from power, are beginning to question whether the beleaguered leader can hang on, but say they have little influence over him as rebels take the fight to his country's biggest cities.

Even though Russia has been a close Syrian ally for decades, officials and analysts acknowledge that they have limited insight to Assad's true situation and mind-set. Although some fear that Russia missed a chance to help find a solution to the conflict, now in its 17th month, others say that it never had that kind of clout.

Still, Moscow appears to have at least one more card to play: an offer of asylum if Assad chooses to ask for it.

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My Comment: What I am hearing and reading from Russia reminds me of what I heard and read from Russia when they first started to express doubts on Libyan strongman Gaddafi 4-5 months before his fall. Hmmmm .... from a Russian perspective .... I am getting the impression that we are repeating history.