(Khaled Al Hariri/Reuters)
Assad's Playbook Is Now Empty -- Robin Wright, The Atlantic
The last of the three conditions keeping Syria's dictator in power finally collapsed this week.
The Assad dynasty, which has ruled the most strategic chunk of land in the Arab world for more than 40 years, may now face insurmountable odds. The three fundamental rules in a dictator's playbook of power have changed over the past two weeks.
Although modern autocrats rarely rally a majority, my experience is that they need at least 30 percent support at home to survive serious opposition challenges. They also need powerful foreign allies to prevent international isolation or invasion. And they also need to prevent viable, credible, or recognized alternatives to their leadership so they remain the only source of order.
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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
As Syrian rebels close in to capital, Assad has cards to play -- FOX News
Russia and Its Syrian Debacle: When the Enemy of My Friend Becomes My Friend -- Simon Shuster, Time
Patriot missiles a warning to Syria's al-Assad -- Ben Brumfield, Joe Sterling and Barbara Starr, CNN
Silence on Syrian Scuds -- Washington Post editorial
Polarisation threatens Egypt’s future -- Gulf News
Escaping from the North Korean Stalemate -- Jay P. Lefkowitz, Commentary
A Nervous Japan Swings Right Ahead of Dec. 16 Polls. But Don’t Expect Real Change -- Hannah Beech, Time
The Yakuza Lobby. How Japan's murky underworld became the patron and power broker of the ruling party that intended to clean up politics. -- Jake Adelstein, Foreign Policy
Park Geun-hye close to becoming South Korea's first female president -- Justin McCurry, The Guardian
Rendition Condemned -- James A. Goldston, New York Times
If Hugo Chavez is in Cuba, who is in charge of Venezuela? -- Sandra Hernandez, L.A. Times
The Real Reason Susan Rice Didn't Deserve to Be Secretary of State -- Forbes
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