Syria: Who'd take over after al-Assad?

(CNN) -- For 12 bloody, horrific months, Syrian dissidents and world leaders have dreamt of one outcome for the Syrian crisis: the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

But who would take over the embattled country remains a mystery -- one that could be fueling the bloodshed that has already killed thousands.

Murhaf Jouejati, a Syrian-born scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said foreign leaders may be reluctant to take stronger action against the regime because no one knows who would come to power.

"I think the international community would like a scenario that would be as clear as possible: Who would they be dealing with? Do they have a vision for the future? Or will it be total chaos?" Jouejati said. "So this uncertainty is prolonging the life of the regime -- uncertainty both shared by Syrians sitting on the fence inside Syria and in the international community."

Exactly who would lead Syria, he said, all depends on how al-Assad leaves. Read More