Say Goodbye to Syrian President Bashar Assad - ETF Center

Say Goodbye to Syrian President Bashar Assad - ETF Center

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Up until recently, the opposition to Assad's rule has mainly been peaceful and Assad's forces were able to conduct their violent crackdown with impunity. However, the recent military successes of soldiers who have grown tired of being ordered to kill their own people changes everything. While the forces loyal to Assad don't seem to mind killing their fellow Syrians, they could begin to question their decision to take part in the months long bloody crackdown if it's their blood that begins to run down Syrian streets.

President Bashar Assad is also coming under pressure from former allies in the Muslim world. The Arab League voted to suspend Syria's membership, Turkey has stepped up criticism of Assad's methods and King Abdullah of Jordan went so far as to say that Assad should remove himself from power. Even Syria's closest ally Iran, despite its use of similar methods against protestors, has climbed on the bandwagon and criticized President Bashar Assad's crackdown.

The combination of Syrian soldiers joining a months long opposition movement by taking up arms against President Assad's forces and increasing international pressure from his former allies point to the coming end of the Assad regime. Whether he decides to step down peacefully or is forcefully removed from office is still up to him. However the tide has turned and every day it's looking more likely that Assad's days are numbered.

Traders could profit from Assad's fall if it's a sign of growing openness in the Middle East. The actions of the Arab League and Turkey show that Middle East leaders are finally bending to the will of the people. In such an environment, business opportunities should increase and an investment like the SPDR S&P Middle East & Africa (NYSE: GAF) ETF could see significant gains.

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