What was unusual about bashes al Assad the longtime president of the Arab nation of Syria?

Answer 1

Bashar al-Assad, the longtime president of Syria, is unusual in that he was initially seen as a potential reformer when he succeeded his father, Hafez al-Assad, in 2000. However, instead of implementing significant reforms, his regime became synonymous with brutal repression, particularly during the Syrian Civil War that began in 2011. His reliance on military force and sectarian strategies to maintain power starkly contrasts with the expectations many had for a more progressive leadership. Additionally, his background as an ophthalmologist with little prior political experience set him apart from many of his contemporaries in the region.