Yet his political fortunes were always hostage to his up-and-down relations with Syria 's presidents , now Bashar al-Assad and before him his father , Hafez al-Assad .
Bashar al-Assad /people/person/nationality Syria
Hafez al-Assad /people/person/nationality Syria
CC PRP$ JJ NNS VBD RB NN TO PRP$ JJ NNS IN NNP POS NNS , RB NNP NNP CC IN PRP PRP$ NN , NNP NNP .
Bashar al-Assad
PERSON
Syria
LOCATION
/people/person/nationality
Hafez al-Assad
PERSON
Syria
LOCATION
/people/person/nationality