“One side is as bad as the next.”
Not really. The Alawites don’t exterminate Christians:
Syria’s Christians stand by Assad
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-57372175-503543/syrias-christians-stand-by-assad/
Assad is probably the best that can be expected from a ruler in the middle east. He clearly treats Christians much better than the Saudis and the Pakistanis.
Here’s the contrast:
Saudi Arabia Declares Destruction of All Churches in Region
http://www.charismanews.com/world/38896-saudi-arabia-declares-destruction-of-all-churches-in-region
We can criticize the authoritarianism of Syria, but look at the opposition.