Posted on March 30, 2015

Bashar al-Assad Says ISIS & Saudi Arabia Follow The Same Ideology: "Medieval" Sunni Wahhabism

60 Minutes' Charlie Rose met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damsacus this weekend. Assad explained that from where he is standing, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS and al-Qaeda are all aligned against him under the flag of the same radical Sunni Wahhabist ideology, while Russia and Iran defend the status quo. This uncut video is provided via unidentified Syrian sources.





Beginning around 5:30 of this video.



CHARLIE ROSE, 60 MINUTES: You have often spoken about the danger of a wider war in the Middle East. Can you talk about the parties involved? And characterize how you see them. Let me begin with Saudi Arabia.



SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD:: Saudi Arabia is an anarchic autocracy. A medieval system that's based on the Wahhabi dark ideology. Actually, say it's a marriage between the Wahhabi and the political system for 200 years now. That's how we look at it.



CHARLIE ROSE: And what is their connection to ISIS?



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: The same ideology. The same background.



CHARLIE ROSE: So ISIS and Saudi Arabia are one and the same?



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: The same ideology. Yes.



CHARLIE ROSE: Same ideology.



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: It's Wahhabi ideology. They base their ideology is based on the books of the Wahhabi from Saudi Arabia.



CHARLIE ROSE: So you believe that all Wahhabis have the same ideology as ISIS--



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: Exactly. Definitely. And that's by ISIS, by al Qaeda, by al Nusra. It's not something we discovered or something we try to promote. It's very I mean their books-- they use the same books to indoctrinate the people. The Wahhabi books.



CHARLIE ROSE: What about Turkey?



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: Turkey-- let's say it's about Erdogan. His Muslim Brotherhood fanatics.



CHARLIE ROSE: And you--



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: It doesn't mean that he is a member. But he's a fanatic.



CHARLIE ROSE: President Erdogan is--



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: Is a Muslim Brotherhood fanatic. And he's somebody who's suffering from political megalomania. And that he thinks that he is becoming the sultan of the new era of the 21st century.



CHARLIE ROSE: You think he could stop the border if he wanted to?



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: Yeah, of course. Definitely. He doesn't only ignore the terrorists from coming to Syria. He support them, logistically and militarily. Directly. On daily basis.

CHARLIE ROSE: Tell us what the Russians want. They are a strong ally of you.



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: Yeah.



CHARLIE ROSE: What do they want?



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: Definitely they want to have balance in the world. It's not only about Syria.



And small country. It's not about having a huge interest in Syria, they could have it anywhere else.



So, it's about the future of the world. They want to be a great power that-- have-- their own say in the future of this world.



CHARLIE ROSE: And what do they want for Syria?



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: Stability. They want--



CHARLIE ROSE: Stability.



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: --stability, and political solution.



CHARLIE ROSE: And what does Iran want?



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: The same. The same. Syria, and Iran, and Russia, see eye-to-eye regarding these conflicts.



CHARLIE ROSE: And what is your obligation to both of them?



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: What do you mean obligation?



CHARLIE ROSE: What is your-- what do you owe them?



BASHAR AL-ASSAD: Yeah, I know. But, they didn't ask me for anything. Nothing at all. That's why what I said-- they don't do that for Syria. They do it for the region, and for the world. 'Cause stability is very important for them.

Posted By Tim Hains Share

Assad's northern neighbor Turkey refuses to destroy ISIS, despite being heavily armed by NATO. Instead, Assad says, President Erdogan "thinks that he is becoming the sultan of the new era" while the Muslim Brotherhood arms ISIS under his nose.Much of Assad's support now comes from Iran and Russia, who he says are doing nothing more than trying to preserve the status quo -- prevent the Saudis from dominating the entire world oil market.