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Louai Beshara / AFP - Getty Images
People watch Syria's embattled President Bashar Assad making a public address on state-run Syrian TV on Jan. 6 in Damascus. In a rare speech, Assad denounced the opposition as 'slaves' of the West and called for a national dialogue conference to be followed by a referendum on a national charter and parliamentary elections.
Speaking before an overwhelmingly supportive crowd that interrupted his speech with chants and rapturous applause several times, Syrian President Bashar Assad offered no concessions and even appeared to harden many of his positions. He rallied Syrians for "a war to defend the nation" and disparaged the prospect of negotiations. There was little to no acknowledgement that there are Syrians themselves who have taken up the fight.
"We do not reject political dialogue ... but with whom should we hold a dialogue? With extremists who don't believe in any language but killing and terrorism?" Assad asked.
-- Reported by NBC News and wire services
In the midst of civil war, Syrian President Bashar Assad addressed the country Sunday for the first time since June. He said he would continue to fight violence, blaming the crisis in Syria on al-Qaida and other terrorist groups. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.
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Excellent. There has been a huge conspiracy against Syria and USA, UK, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey are some of the countries involved in it. They wanted a new puppet regime in Syria -- not an independent one like the current regime. And what we have seen in Syria is NOT a revolution but a terrorist attack by the most extreme and brutal radical Islamists in the world. It is really funny that our country is fighting Al-Qaeda in Yemen but on the other hand is supporting who are even worse in Syria, who have been slaughtering Christians on Syrian streets!!The Syrian President has absolutely the right to defend his country against this terrorist invasion. In fact, our country should have supported him -- not those blood-thirsty jihadists!!