Regime Change in Syria? Former Syrian VP calls for uprising

Assad "does not deserve to be president" says Abdul-Halim Khaddam, vice president of Syria untilhe resigned in June 2005.

Khaddam claims that the assassination of former Lebanese President Hariri a year ago could not have happened without the knowledge and assent of the former Syrian intelligence chief in Lebanon. He also said there is no way that it could have happened without Syrian President Assad's knowledge either.

According to the London Guardian,

In his interview with al-Arabiya satellite channel last week, Mr Khaddam said Hariri had been "subjected to many threats" from Syria. He quoted Mr Assad as telling Hariri in August 2004: "You want to bring a [new] president in Lebanon ... I will not allow that. I will crush whoever attempts to overturn our decision."

There is a great deal of speculation that Khaddam sees the problems plaguing Syria as a chance to head a new Syrian government, though he protests that he is not seeking such a thing.