Syria’s inner circle of power has been dominated by the al-Assad family for 50 years, but nearly a decade of war is exposing its cracks. Journalist Sam Dagher was based in Damascus in the early years of the war, and after the government kicked him out, he used his access to write the inside story of the family that’s become synonymous with Syria.

As Bashar al-Assad marks 20 years in power this week, we pull the curtain back on the inner circle to hear the story of a leader who wasn’t meant for power, but was lifted up by the family name that consumed him.

In this episode:

Sam Dagher, journalist and author of “Assad or We Burn the Country.”

For more:

The unmaking of a billionaire: A case study in how and why the Assad regime eats its own by Sam Dagher

Connect with The Take: 

Twitter (@ajthetake), Instagram (@ajthetake) and Facebook (@TheTakePod).