'Inheriting Syria' in the Modern Age

Fresh Air | By Terry Gross

Published March 31, 2005 at 12:00 AM EST

Flynt Leverett's <i>Inheriting Syria: Bashar’s Trial By Fire</i>, describes how Bashar al-Assad has moved into his father's role of leading Syria. — Flynt Leverett's *Inheriting Syria: Bashar’s Trial By Fire*, describes how Bashar al-Assad has moved into his father's role of leading Syria.

Flynt Leverett is a senior fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution. As Syria is prodded to withdraw its troops -- and influence -- from neighboring Lebanon, the region faces potentially drastic changes.

A veteran expert on Middle East policy -- from the National Security Council and the State Department to the CIA -- Leverett has also written a new book, Inheriting Syria: Bashar’s Trial By Fire, about Bashar al-Assad's rule of Syria after following his father as the country's leader.

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