Syria’s Alawites: The People Behind Assad

The Wall Street Journal ^ | June 26, 2015 | By SAM DAGHER

[MinorityRepublican]

To find popular support for the embattled regime of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, look to the mountains, valleys and coastal cities of the country’s western region. It is the Alawite heartland—the traditional home of the religious minority to which Mr. Assad and many of his key associates belong.

Alawites make up just 10% to 15% of Syria’s population, and they are usually presented as fervent supporters of Mr. Assad. Most Alawites do indeed fear that, if the Assad regime falls, they will face reprisals from the country’s majority Sunnis, who have led the rebellion against the government since March 2011. Many Sunnis see the Alawites as willing accomplices of a brutal regime that has committed atrocities against them from the time it was founded more than four decades ago by the current president’s late father, Hafez al-Assad.

[BeadCounter]

I did read this. Tragic situation, a lot of people are pulled into it.

[BeadCounter]

I did read this. Tragic situation, a lot of people are pulled into it.

[DesertRhino]

Got it. Assad is so awful the Saudis and sunnis must overthrow him. Remind me again annoy the thriving Christian culture in Saudi Arabia? In any nation that has endured a recent sunni revolt?
Syrian opposition = isis.

[Royal Wulff]

Assad was condemned for heavy-handed response to jihadi protesters. But, in hindsight, look at what he was up against. Maybe he ran a security state, but he protected minority sects. The jihadis murder them.

[okie01]

Down the hill from the shrine, a 70-year-old man sat under an apple tree. He told me that the spirits of miracle-makers had always protected the Alawites and would continue to do so. “We’re going to be just fine,” he said.

That...or slaughtered.

[BeadCounter]

Assad can not slaughter the majority and expect staying in power, he has killed more people than ISIS. Putin and Iran have funded the Syrian government.

If Assad has protected Christians and minorities, that’s news to me.

[BeadCounter]

Yeah, except the bigger murderer than ISIS, Assad was not killing Jihadi Protesters, he was killing normal people.

Putin, and Iran are part of the genocide over there in funding Assad.

[BeadCounter]

The thug Assad started this civil war in 2011, ISIS didn’t show up for 2 years,

Let’s not have RT propaganda. The guy is as bad as ISIS and Iran and Syria helped create Jihadis as well when the USA was in Iraq, they are as responsible as anyone, let’s not have anyone puke Putin/Assad propaganda on this.

[MinorityRepublican]

NUSRA FRONT CALLS FOR ESCALATION OF ATTACKS AGAINST ASSAD’S ALAWITES, RUSSIA

[MinorityRepublican]

In Syria's war, Alawites pay heavy price for loyalty to Bashar al-Assad (1/3 military age men KIA)