Bashar Al-Assad

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**FILE** Syrian President Bashar Assad (left) prays next to Syrian Grand Mufti Ahmad Hassoun (second from left) at the Al-Rawda Mosque in Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012, during a ceremony marking the birth of Islam's Prophet Mohammad. (AP Photo/SANA)

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Anti-regime protesters hold up a Syrian army defector as they chant slogans against Syrian President Bashar Assad during an evening protest in the Rastan area of Syria's Homs province on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. (AP Photo)

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Protesters shout slogans as they carry pictures of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Syrian flags during a demonstration on Jan. 29, 2012, in front of the Russian Embassy in Beirut to express gratitude for the Russian position in support of Syria. (Associated Press)

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Protesters shout slogans as they carry pictures of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Syrian flags during a demonstration in front of the Russian Embassy in Beirut on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, to express gratitude for Russia's support of Syria. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

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Ant-Syrian regime protesters wave Syrian revolution flags and shout slogans during a demonstration against Syrian President Bashar Assad, at Bayada area in Homs province, central Syria, on Wednesday Jan. 25, 2012. Government forces clashed with army defectors and stormed rebellious districts in central Syria on Wednesday, firing mortars and deploying snipers in violence that killed at least seven people, including a mother and her 5-year-old child, activists said. (AP Photo)

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Syrian President Bashar Assad (center) addresses supporters Jan. 11, 2012, during a rally at a central square in Damascus, Syria. (Associated Press)

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Syrian President Bashar Assad delivers a speech at Damascus University in Damascus, Syria, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. (AP File Photo/SANA)

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Syrian President Bashar Assad delivers a two-hour speech at Damascus University in Damascus, Syria, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Syrian State Television via APTN)

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Pro-Syrian regime protesters shout slogans and hold portraits of Syrian President Bashar Assad during a demonstration Jan. 4, 2012, in Damascus, Syria, to show solidarity for Assad. (Associated Press)

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Lebanese and Syrian activists hold Syrian revolutionary flags on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, during a candlelight vigil in downtown Beirut in mourning Syrians killed since the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime began in March. The banner in Arabic reads, "2012 Syria is free." (Associated Press)

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A demonstrator gestures under a large poster of Syrian President Bashar Assad during a rally in Damascus, Syria, on Monday, Dec. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

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Shadows of Syrians are reflected on a giant poster of Syrian President Bashar Assad during a rally in support of the leader in Damascus, Syria, on Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

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Cars burn after being attacked by supporters of Syrian President Bashar Assad in Homs, Syria, on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, in this image taken from amateur video. (AP Photo/Sham News Network via Associated Press Television News)

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** FILE ** A pro-Syrian regime protester waves a Syrian flag as he stands in front of portrait of Syrian President Bashar Assad, during a protest against sanctions, Damascus, Syria, in this Dec. 2, 2011, file photo. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman, File)

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A pro-Syrian-regime demonstrator waves a Syrian flag as he stands in front of portrait of Syrian President Bashar Assad during a protest against sanctions in Damascus, Syria, on Friday, Dec. 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

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Pro-Syrian regime protesters shout slogans and carry a huge portrait of Syrian president Bashar Assad during a protest against the Arab League decisions in Damascus, Syria, on Nov. 25, 2011. Syria missed an Arab League deadline to allow hundreds of observers into the country, prompting the bloc to consider economic sanctions against Damascus for its eight-month crackdown on dissent, a senior diplomat said. (Associated Press)