Asma al-Assad: Difference between revisions
- this aspect is widely discussed, is to the point, in the independent article too, check it out, -(this article is a puff piece) |
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Asma al-Assad has been described by analysts and in media as an important part of Syria's public image.<ref name=AFP>{{cite web|author=Agence France-Presse |date=14 January 2012 |url=http://www.vancouversun.com/story_print.html?id=5997347&sponsor=escapes.ca |title=Syria's First Lady Asma al-Assad Falling from Grace |publisher=Vancouversun.com |date=2012-01-14 |accessdate=2012-02-14}} ([http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/world/Syria+First+Lady+Asma+Assad+falling+from+grace/5997347/story.html mirror])</ref><ref name=Bennet/><ref name=cnnindex>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/25/world/meast/asma-al-assad-profile/index.html |title=Will Asma al-Assad take a stand or stand by her man? - CNN.com |publisher=Edition.cnn.com |date=25 December 2011 |accessdate=2012-02-14}}</ref> She was also credited with taking progressive positions on women's rights and education, and liberalizing{{what?}} the Syrian economy.<ref name=cnnindex /> Her designer outfits have also garnered media attention.<ref name=AFP/> |
Asma al-Assad has been described by analysts and in media as an important part of Syria's public image.<ref name=AFP>{{cite web|author=Agence France-Presse |date=14 January 2012 |url=http://www.vancouversun.com/story_print.html?id=5997347&sponsor=escapes.ca |title=Syria's First Lady Asma al-Assad Falling from Grace |publisher=Vancouversun.com |date=2012-01-14 |accessdate=2012-02-14}} ([http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/world/Syria+First+Lady+Asma+Assad+falling+from+grace/5997347/story.html mirror])</ref><ref name=Bennet/><ref name=cnnindex>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/25/world/meast/asma-al-assad-profile/index.html |title=Will Asma al-Assad take a stand or stand by her man? - CNN.com |publisher=Edition.cnn.com |date=25 December 2011 |accessdate=2012-02-14}}</ref> She was also credited with taking progressive positions on women's rights and education, and liberalizing{{what?}} the Syrian economy.<ref name=cnnindex /> Her designer outfits have also garnered media attention.<ref name=AFP/> |
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She has remained largely silent during the [[2011–2012 Syrian uprising]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/01/13/peter-goodspeed-the-glamorous-face-of-syrias-dictatorship/ |title=Asma al-Assad, the glamorous face of Syria's dictatorship | Full Comment | National Post |publisher=Fullcomment.nationalpost.com |date=2012-01-13 |accessdate=2012-02-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/world-politics/has-syrias-princess-diana-become-its-marie-antoinette/story-fn9hkofv-1226257230037 |title=Has Syria's Princess Diana become its Marie Antoinette? |first=Martin |last=Fletcher |publisher=The Times |date=30 January 2012 |work=The Australian}}</ref><ref name=AFP/> issuing her first statement to international media in February 2012 through a representative. The representative sent an e-mail to ''[[The Times]]'' in London on her behalf stating: "The President is the President of Syria, not a faction of Syrians, and the first lady supports him in that role."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/world/first-lady-breaks-silence-to-support-president-assad-20120207-1r59e.html |date=8 February 2012 |publisher=The Age |title=First lady breaks silence to support President Assad |author=Agence France-Presse}}</ref> |
She has remained largely silent during the [[2011–2012 Syrian uprising]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/01/13/peter-goodspeed-the-glamorous-face-of-syrias-dictatorship/ |title=Asma al-Assad, the glamorous face of Syria's dictatorship | Full Comment | National Post |publisher=Fullcomment.nationalpost.com |date=2012-01-13 |accessdate=2012-02-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/world-politics/has-syrias-princess-diana-become-its-marie-antoinette/story-fn9hkofv-1226257230037 |title=Has Syria's Princess Diana become its Marie Antoinette? |first=Martin |last=Fletcher |publisher=The Times |date=30 January 2012 |work=The Australian}}</ref><ref name=AFP/> issuing her first statement to international media in February 2012 through a representative. The representative sent an e-mail to ''[[The Times]]'' in London on her behalf stating: "The President is the President of Syria, not a faction of Syrians, and the first lady supports him in that role."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/world/first-lady-breaks-silence-to-support-president-assad-20120207-1r59e.html |date=8 February 2012 |publisher=The Age |title=First lady breaks silence to support President Assad |author=Agence France-Presse}}</ref> By March 2012, revelations of her 'extravagant shopping in the midst of bloodshed' tarnished her caring image, and she was sometimes cast as 'the [[Marie Antoinette]] of the Middle East". <ref> Daily Mail, Ian Birrell, 15 March 2012 [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2115648/Syria-Asma-al-Assad-shopped-baubles-Harrods-husband-slaughtered-thousands.html?ito=feeds-newsxml], and [[The Independent]] 'Syrian first lady's caring image unlikely to recover', 16 March 2012 [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syrian-first-ladys-caring-image-unlikely-to-recover-7574585.html]</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 22:49, 17 March 2012
Asma al-Assad أسماء الأسد | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First Lady of Syria | |
| Assumed office December 2000 | |
| Preceded by | Anisa Makhlouf |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Asma al-Akhras 11 August 1975 London, England |
| Nationality | Syrian, British |
| Spouse | Bashar al-Assad |
| Relations | Fawaz Akhras |
| Children | Hafez (born 2001) Zein (born 2003) Karim (born 2004) |
| Alma mater | King's College London |
Asma al-Assad (Arabic: أسماء الأسد); born 11 August 1975; née Asma al-Akhras (Arabic: أسماء فواز الأخرس), is the British-born First Lady of Syria.[1] She moved to Syria to marry President Bashar al-Assad in December 2000, having previously pursued a career in investment banking.
Early life, education and finance career
Asma al-Akhras was born on August 11, 1975, in London, to Fawaz Akhras, a consultant cardiologist at the Cromwell Hospital, London, and Sahar al-Akhras (née Otri), a retired diplomat. Her parents are Sunni and of Syrian origin, originally from Homs.[2][3] She grew up in Acton where she went to a local Church of England state school.[4] She finished her schooling at Queen's College in London, attended King's College London, and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Diploma in French Literature.[5]
After university, she started work at Deutsche Bank Group in the hedge fund management division with clients in Europe and the East Asia. In 1998, she joined the investment banking division of J.P. Morgan, specializing in mergers and acquisitions.[6][7]
Personal life
Asma met Bashar al-Assad during his studies in London.[2] After Hafez al-Assad's death in 2000, Bashar took over the presidency of Syria. She emigrated to Syria in November 2000 and married Bashar in December. They have three children: Hafez, Zein and Karim.[2]
First Lady
Asma al-Assad has been described by analysts and in media as an important part of Syria's public image.[8][7][9] She was also credited with taking progressive positions on women's rights and education, and liberalizing[clarification needed] the Syrian economy.[9] Her designer outfits have also garnered media attention.[8]
She has remained largely silent during the 2011–2012 Syrian uprising,[10][11][8] issuing her first statement to international media in February 2012 through a representative. The representative sent an e-mail to The Times in London on her behalf stating: "The President is the President of Syria, not a faction of Syrians, and the first lady supports him in that role."[12] By March 2012, revelations of her 'extravagant shopping in the midst of bloodshed' tarnished her caring image, and she was sometimes cast as 'the Marie Antoinette of the Middle East". [13]
References
- ^ Ramdani, Nabila (10 May 2011). "Is Asma Assad in London?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
- ^ a b c Bar, Shmuel (2006). "Bashar's Syria: The Regime and its Strategic Worldview" (PDF). Comparative Strategy. 25: 380. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ Bar'el, Zvi (27 April 2011). "In Syria, the army's loyalty to Assad runs deep". Haaretz. Retrieved 17 July 2011.
- ^ "The road to Damascus (all the way from Acton)". BBC News. 31 October 2001. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
- ^ Harvey, Oliver (3 July 2009). "Sexy Brit bringing Syria in from the cold". The Sun. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
- ^ "The First Lady". Embassy of Syria in Washington D.C.
- ^ a b Bennet, James (10 July 2005). "The Enigma of Damascus". New York Times online.
- ^ a b c Agence France-Presse (2012-01-14). "Syria's First Lady Asma al-Assad Falling from Grace". Vancouversun.com. Retrieved 2012-02-14. (mirror)
- ^ a b "Will Asma al-Assad take a stand or stand by her man? - CNN.com". Edition.cnn.com. 25 December 2011. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
- ^ "Asma al-Assad, the glamorous face of Syria's dictatorship | Full Comment | National Post". Fullcomment.nationalpost.com. 2012-01-13. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
- ^ Fletcher, Martin (30 January 2012). "Has Syria's Princess Diana become its Marie Antoinette?". The Australian. The Times.
- ^ Agence France-Presse (8 February 2012). "First lady breaks silence to support President Assad". The Age.
- ^ Daily Mail, Ian Birrell, 15 March 2012 [1], and The Independent 'Syrian first lady's caring image unlikely to recover', 16 March 2012 [2]
External links
- Ann Curry interviews Asma, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, 9 May 2007
- The London girl with a plan to save Syria, Margarette Driscoll, The Times, 7 December 2008
- The Mysterious Mrs. Assad, CBC News / The National - Special report from Susan Ormiston, 20 February 2012