How Bashar al-Asad Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the "War on Terror".

This article examines the evolution of Syrian government rhetoric on "terrorism" over the past two decades, focusing on speeches and media under President Bashar al-Asad. Initially, the regime rejected the Western and Israeli framing of terrorism, distinguishing it from legitimate resistance, particularly in relation to Palestinian and Lebanese groups. However, since the 2011 uprising—perceived as a predominantly Sunni Arab threat—the regime adopted "war on terror" rhetoric similar to that of the United States to legitimize its counterinsurgency efforts. This rhetorical shift contrasts with earlier responses to the 2000 Druze and 2004 Kurdish uprisings, where the regime employed alternative sectarian or separatist discourses rather than terrorism language. The article argues that this change reflects a combination of threat perception, ethno-sectarian identity of opposition groups, and the diffusion of international rhetorical repertoires, illustrating how authoritarian regimes selectively adopt global discourses to reinforce domestic control.