From what I have heard about Syria is that Bashar Assad is a moderate. Remember, he was a doctor living abroad when his older brother, and heir apparent, was killed and then returned to Syria to take the Presidency from his father upon his death. Rumor has it that Assad is merely a figurehead and that the military generals run the country. It is Assad that needs to be in their favor to remain in power, not the other way arround. This is due to the heavy Iranian influence on Syria with Hezbollah which has their own political wing active in Syrian government.

Assad is not a politician and the scary part is he is powerless to negotiate with.