After discussing the ongoing situation in Syria for one hour tonight on Danny Butcher's radio show, I decided to - guess what - research the country's armed forces to discover why they are so darn loyal to Assad's regime, and I have discovered the reason.
Alawites.
The distinct Shia sect has mostly resided in the Alawite Mountains along the Mediterranean Sea, are a mix and blend of numerous religious beliefs - including Christianity, Islam and paganism - and have a long history of isolation within the Islamic community for their non-orthodox beliefs.
Why is this important?
Because even though only 10-15% of Syria's population belongs to Alawi, 70% of Syria's professional army is Alawi; 80% of Syria's military officers are Alawi and nearly every man in the elite Republican Guard is Alawi and until the Assad's took power in 1970 were excluded from all government affairs.
Oh, Assad is also an Alawite.
The intentional stacking of the military to Alawi is working for Assad - the loyalty of those in the sect, not to mention the common fear of what should occur if the overwhelming Sunni population were to gain power, has prevented the military desertions we saw in Libya, which fueled the armed resistance, and have maintained his military superiority over the rebel forces.
When we consider the options we have in Syria, we must understand that Assad's military will not abandon him and that we must use the Sunni super-majority in Syria to our advantage when siding with the rebels and seeking Sunni nations like Saudi Arabia to join our efforts to oust Assad's evil, brutal and disgusting regime.
What say you?
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