HAS SYRIA  / ASSAD/ LEARNED HOW TO POLISH IT'S IMAGE?

Take a close look at this video.

It you turned the sound down and didn't pay attention to the flag, you might think you were watching a Whitehouse Press conference in the US.

Is this by accident?

I say not!

Could the defense of the Tremseh event be the beginning of a new Information Campaign to change the perception of Syria?

If this is true, and I believe it is, then who has brought this new technique to Assad and Syria?

It's possible they have made this transformation on their own, but I doubt it.

So, again, where did this "change" come from?

Iran?

Nope..

The Iranian government does a moderate to poor job of pubic messaging outside of Iran and they have never tried to look, "European" in a official governmental announcement.

Ok, my hint was in the last statement!

My bet is the Russians!!!!!

The masters of public messaging for decades were the Russians / Soviets.

The Masters of the Masters within the Soviet Empire was the KGB.

Who was the former head of the KGB?

Are you catching my drift yet?

My hunch is the Russians have refined the public messaging  process for Syria.

My question becomes why?

What is the goal of this new look?

We all understand that perception is reality and the perception painted by a well spoken, well dressed, professional speaker, is far more believable than a Radical Cleric foaming at the mouth about violence and revenge; casting blame in all directions.

Now, get past the visual changes in this press announcement and look at the next interesting "change".

Listen to the tone of the speaker?

Listen to his "tone".

He states that " Mr Annan's letter was very rushed"????

A very limited and as much as possible non-confrontational stance.

Next, the speaker explains what took place in Tremseh was not a " massacre", but an armed confrontation between government forces and the rebels.

Without saying it, the message is understood; in conflict innocent people are killed.

Now, the fact Syria had 48hrs to clean up the area weakens this information campaign, but regardless, it is obvious Syria is attempting to change the face of the government; perception!

If we assume the Russians, Putin, has convinced Assad to develop a more polished public information process, who is the real audience?

The people of the Middle East?

I don't think so.

It's not a style the general public in the Middle East is use to seeing, unless it's a press conference from the West.

My bet is this new tactic is partially addressed to the business class and other educated supporters of his regime.

When Assad has a very well spoken, ex Ambassador defect and show up on all the Western media networks, the Russians probably informed him, to change tactics.

The question becomes, will it work?

In the case of the events in Tremesh, it appears the damage has been limited and some are even questioning if a "massacre" took place, or did innocent civilians simply get caught up in the battle.

The UN investigators, one would hope, will be able to determine what type of battles took place inside the buildings and what type of wounds the bodies they do examine have.

As a point of fact, point blank gun shots are much different than being shot from several meters away; a tactic the ruthless Thugs that support Assad should have already figured out.

So, again; will this new tactic of public messaging work?

Well, it can't hurt.

Assad is learning and adapting.

The rest of the word must stay vigilant to the ever evolving tricks from Assad and those who still support him.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/07/201271593331131542.html