The 'secretive sect' in charge of Syria

BBC News ^ | 17 May 2012

[MinorityRepublican]

Considered by some Muslims a heretic sect, this small Levantine minority have survived persecution and the Crusades to rise to the top and take over the Syrian establishment.

Alawite practices, which are said to include celebrating Christmas and the Zoroastrian new year, are little known even to most Muslims.

They account for 12% of Syria's population, or just under 3 million people, and yet have been in tight control of a Sunni-majority country, for more than 40 years.

After a coup in 1970, led by President Bashar al-Assad's father Hafez, Alawites consolidated power over Syria's main institutions and security apparatus.

Hafez's identity as an Alawite helped him gain the loyalty of other minority groups in Syria, to whom he promised rights and protection.

Alawites are seen by other Muslims in the Middle East as very liberal or even secular. In Syria women are not encouraged to wear hejab and many choose not to fast or pray.

[bravo whiskey]

interesting though i think islam is a political-social cult, not a religion (unless you include liberalism and environmentalism as religions) so all of them are pagans and heretics.

[Texas Fossil]

Zoroastrian implies Persian.

Knew they were still present in Iran. Mullah hate most of them.

Assad’s reputation does not reflect Persian traditions.

Zoroastrian was keyed to Astrology. Magi

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

Looks like I’m pulling for the Alawites. Unfortanetly I can’t see them surviving this as it seems that Damascus is becoming more and more surrounded every day, much like happened to Ghadafis last stand.

[Tailgunner Joe]

Alawites are the “good muslims” because they are on Iran’s side.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks MinorityRepublican.

The Alawi Capture of Power in Syria
by Daniel Pipes
Middle Eastern Studies
1989
http://www.danielpipes.org/191/the-alawi-capture-of-power-in-syria