Assad’s Regional Unpopularity

As the United States and its European allies consider launching a military strike on Syria in the wake of a chemical attack alleged to have been carried out by Bashar Al-Assad’s government, the Pew Research Center has revealed that the regime has few friends in the region.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, the majority of Israelis, 91 percent, consider the Syrian president unfavorable. In Jordan, the situation is similar. 90 percent of Jordanians perceive Bashar Al-Assad as being unfavorable, while just eight percent view him favorably.

In Lebanon, the perceptions differ – 40 percent of people view the Syrian president favorably. This support primarily comes from the country’s Shia population – Bashar Al-Assad comes from a family of Alawites, a branch of Shia Islam.