Nothing Says 'You're Fired' Quite Like Getting Executed

If this report is true, to say that Syrian President Assad was less than pleased with his Defense Minister, Ali Habib, would be an understatement.

Less than 24 hours after Syrian Defense Minister Ali Habib was fired – he has been found dead, according to reports in Syria. The Opposition says President Bashar Assad had him killed.

Syrian official press reported that Habib had died of a disease, but opposition websites claimed that he was executed by the government. A-Sharq al-Awsat reported Tuesday morning that Habib had opposed the lethal operation at Hama that cost the lives of hundreds of civilians.

On Monday afternoon Syrian strongman Assad announced the appointment of the chief of staff, Daud Rajha, as defense minister in place of Habib. Assad said that the appointment is part of the reforms he is implementing and claimed that Habib was suffering from a serious illness, and his condition was deteriorating.

Opposition websites, however, reported that Habib had been found dead in his apartment after he was assassinated by Assad’s men. They pointed to Bashar’s brother, Maher Assad, as the person who was directly responsible for the killing.

It has been speculated that a schism between Assad and his inner regime is forming. Syria has been in the news since March for all the wrong reasons. And with the full weight of the world beginning to descend on the Baathist regime, those ordered to continue the murderous crackdown on its civilian population are having objections. They are preparing for a life after Assad. In turn, Assad is laying down the law, which states, defiance has no place in a dictatorship. Assad had Habib fired and then gave him a what for and executed.

Assad seems intent on digging in and living through this thing despite regional allies and Arab neighbors cooling considerably toward him. Countries like Turkey and Saudi Arabia have expressed concern in the past. Now they appear on the verge of delivering a diplomatic coup de grace that will finally isolate Assad.