Syrian President Bashar Assad might be terrorising the Syrian population and perpetrating unimaginable warcrimes, but it seems he has another talent - being a joker.
In the aftermath of the announcement that the global chemical weapons watchdog in charge of disposing of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Syrian dictator "jokingly" told a Lebanese newspaper that he had been robbed of the prize.
The Nobel Peace Prize "should have been mine", Assad said, according to Al Akhbar newspaper and Agence France Presse.
The Syrian leader made the remark "jokingly", according to Al Akhbar, during a discussion on Friday's Nobel Peace Prize decision.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which is currently working inside Syria on destroying Assad's massive chemical weapons arsenal by 2014, was awarded the prize last week.
The OPCW and the UN have had a team of 60 experts and support staff in Syria since October 1, while the civil war rages on, according to AFP.
Although it could be considered 'refreshing' to see a more relaxed and joking side to the Syrian president, since the OPCW are preventing a Western-led strike being launched on Damascus and removing the weapons that killed over 1,400 civilians in August, we think Assad should save his jokes for something more appropriate.
According to US Secretary of State John Kerry, Assad isn't even capable of ruling his own country. Less banter, more democracy please Bashar!
Al Bawaba has a joke for you though, Assad - your re-election!
