Asma Assad, Wife Of Bashar Assad, Speaks Out

In a rare public statement, Bashar Assad's wife has sent an email to the Times for publication. Her message is clear; the Syrian first lady stands firmly beside her husband as the country teeters toward the brink of civil war.

"The President is the President of Syria, not a faction of Syrians, and the First Lady supports him in that role," the email stated, according to AFP.

Asma Assad largely has remained quiet since the start of the protests in Syria in March 2011. The statement sent from her office reportedly said that "the First Lady's very busy agenda is still focused on supporting the various charities she has long been involved with and rural development as well as supporting the President as needed."

Asma Assad grew up in Acton, West London, the Daily Mail reports. She graduated from King's College London and worked for Deutsche Bank as an analyst in hedge-fund management before marrying Bashar Assad in 2000.

Asma Assad's family are Sunni Muslims from Homs, the city that has been heavily targeted by security forces in the past months.

Nesrine Malik, a commentator for The Guardian who calls Asma Assad "one of a breed of educated westernised Arab first wives" who "default unquestioningly to their fathers and husbands," noted the poor timing of the first lady's comments.

On Tuesday, shelling of Syria's "revolution capital" Homs reportedly claimed the lives of around 19 more people.

Last Saturday, government troops shelled Homs in an overnight bombardment, killing more than 200 people. It was the deadliest assault in the uprising so far, according to the Associated Press.

On Tuesday, an activist identified as Omar told the AP that tanks were still occupying parts of the city.

"The shelling has been going on for days and the siege is getting worse. We are short of everything including food and medical supplies," Omar told the AP. "People here have not slept for days," he said.

Below, see photos of Bashar Assad's wife Asma Assad:

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• Syrian First Lady Asma al-Assad listens to a speech by her husband, President Bashar al-Assad, during a rare public appearance in Damascus on January 11, 2012. Assad vowed to defeat a 'conspiracy' against Syria, a day after he blamed foreign interests for stoking months of deadly violence. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

• Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (C-R) and First Lady Asma al-Assad (C-L) arrive at Al-Jalaa Stadium in Damascus on June 30, 2011 to meet with regime supporters who made the biggest Syrian flag as a deadly crackdown continued on democracy protests across the country. (-/AFP/Getty Images)

• Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's wife Asma gestures as she speaks at the Bristol hotel on December 11, 2010 in Paris. Al-Assad is on a two-days official visit to France. (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)

• Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's wife Asma poses at the Bristol hotel on December 11, 2010 in Paris. Al-Assad is on a two-days official visit to France. (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)

• Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma walk in a street of Paris on December 10, 2010. ( MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)

• Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma leave the Bristol hotel on December 10, 2010 in Paris. Al-Assad is on a two-days official visit to France. (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)

• Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma walk in a street of Paris on December 10, 2010. Al-Assad is on a two-days official visit to France. (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)

• Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's wife Asma speaks during a meeting at the International diplomatic academy on December 10, 2010 in Paris. (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)

• Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's wife Asma gestures as she speaks during a meeting at the International diplomatic academy on December 10, 2010 in Paris. (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)

• The wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Asma, listens to national anthems during welcoming ceremonies on April 27, 2009 for her husband at the presidential in Vienna at the start of his two-day state visit. (JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images)

Comments

[NSALParty]

10:53 AM on 01/02/2013

Assad does not bow to the Zionists. That is why he is being attacked right now. These "freedom fighters" are nothing but terrorists.

[OhioYippieHippie]

10:10 AM on 03/22/2012

i hope she burns in hll

[mahgni]

05:40 PM on 03/19/2012

If, as reported, the Assad clan has murdered thousands of unarmed civilians who were brave enough to stand up for free and democratic elections ... what makes anyone think that this "puppet" wife isn't aware that she would be murdered the exact moment that she said or did anything they didn't want her to day or do. C'mon ... would you look them in the eye and defy them?

[skygill]

09:01 PM on 03/09/2012

For the past ten years Britain, America and France have been trying to overthrow Assad in order to make it easier for Israel to attack Iran. The British are still peeved that the people of Iran toppled the Shah, and that the Iranian government nationalized their oil wells. Its O.K. for Britain to nationalize their industries; but when Countries like Egypt for example nationalized the Suez Canel, or Gaddaffi nationalized his oil, then that means war, and America and Israel are sent in to do the dirty work.

[milezero]

11:20 PM on 03/03/2012

Does this mean she won't be on the Huffingtonpost style page anymore?

[Miche Norman]

01:53 PM on 03/02/2012

This woman was on the net last year shedding crocodile tears about the Palestinians in Gaza who have been provided with humanitarian aid from a country they swear to destroy and complaining about how harsh Israel's treatment of a people at war with it is. Talk of givign hypocracy a bad name, Her husband has killed more civilians in one year than Israel has in 64 years of having war waged against it.

[John the stoner]

01:27 PM on 02/26/2012

Asma Assad grew up in Acton, West London, the Daily Mail reports. She graduated from King's College London and worked for Deutsche Bank as an analyst in hedge-fund management before marrying Bashar Assad in 2000. Asma Assad's family are Sunni Muslims from Homs, the city that has been heavily targeted by security forces in the past months.

[Lord Enki]

05:31 PM on 02/23/2012

She looks like a Stepford wife I hope she understands if her hubby looses she in the hot seat with him and his Generals.

[Just a thought or two]

12:51 PM on 02/18/2012

She is equally as responsible for the deaths of civillians as her husband, her support of him leaves me shaking my head in disgust. Her downfall is coming fast...now if only the UN would do the right thing and tell Russian and China to go F-themselves. For once this is not about oil, and I am ashamed of the western world for standing back and doing nothing.

[ambdozie]

04:49 PM on 02/26/2012

Russian and China stands for the truth.Let the Rebels back down their arm to embrace peace.NATO has destroy a lot of lives in Libya,any one arming rebels are the real killer.

[zenju2]

07:23 AM on 03/01/2012

"She is equally as responsible for the deaths of civillians as her husband."
I'm glad you're not a judge on a war crimes tribunal. Might I inquire as to your evidence before you convict her?

[Pod-gers]

04:20 AM on 02/12/2012

Welcome to Syria.
http://shoe08.blogspot.com/2012/02/welcome-to-syria.html

See for yourself what the MSM does not want you to know about.

[CocoAnn]

09:52 AM on 02/11/2012

Her days are numbered. Now is the time for both of them to leave quietly. We all know what happened to the defiant Gadaffi and Co.

[CocoAnn]

09:50 AM on 02/11/2012

Her days are numbered. It will be wise for both of them just to go quietly before things get really ugly. We all know what happened to the defiant Gadaffi and Co.

[baydolphins]

06:48 PM on 02/09/2012

Marie Antoinette wannabe, just as clueless as to what's going on outside her palace walls

[kolokot]

02:29 PM on 02/09/2012

Anybody knows why aren’t we able to compare her to the pictures of the wives of royals of other Arab countries which are members of the west’s band. Selective human rights preoccupation, isn’t it?

[AKL1985]

01:45 PM on 02/09/2012

Great Britain should revoke this monster's citizenship.