the Syrian Government exactly the same way George W. Bush looked at Saddam. I have a different view though. The Syrian Government is controlled by the minority Alawite population over the majority Sunni population, much the same way Saddam was a Sunni and held control over the Shiite majority.
I see the same Western influences in both countries which allowed both situations to occur. In both cases, I see where both minorities were armed by outside influences to control the majority in the past because of their more liberal sectarian policies towards the West. The Alawites control the military and they were mostly trained by France. It was the same way with Saddam and also the same with the former Shah of Iran. They oppressed the majority to stay in power with approval of the West. I've also read some reports, where our Government under George W. Bush sent captives from the War in Iraq and Afghanistan to Assad's Government for interrogation methods that were illegal by this country. Assad's Government also were aligned with the Arab states that helped in the Persian Gulf War. Apparently their use has ran out now.
The opposition in revolt see themselves as freedom fighters, much like the Palestinians and their Intifada. The fault line that is being used by the West, are the feuding sects in the Muslim religion between Shia Law, Sharia Law and Salafists. It would be similar to Divide and Conquer, as long as it continues. What could unite them all would be an attack by Israel on a country like Iran. It depends on whose shoes you are in. What appears a Terrorist attack from the West point of view could be seen as a civil conflict from both sides with different views. Before Israel became a state, British considered Jews fighting for their freedom Terrorists. They did the same with the Irish. The only way Assad has held on is because the majority of his sect support him. I read in an article about Alawite groups not even affiliated with the Syrian military committing what some people in the Press call War crimes. And if you look at past conflicts such as the dropping of nukes on Japan, bombing Germany in World War II, or evening using Drone attacks today in a War, it depends on which side you are on. Both sides to win public support by gaining moral justification. The way I see it though from a General like Tecumseh Sherman's point of view, there is no such thing as a clean War. Once you commit yourself to violent acts, by definition War is Hell and they all bring Terror.
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