Syria


Figure 1.--These Syrian boys about 2010 wear American-style fashions. Given the unpopularity of America in the Arab world, the popularity of American fashions is interesting. Also notice the boy with African features, presumbly the result of the Arab African slave trade.

Syria is located at the heart of the Levant. It was situated between the two great river valley civilizations, Mesopotamia and Egypt. And the ancient struggle between Hittities and Egyptians shifted to a divide beteen the Turkish north and Arab south. The Eurphrates River waters the north and thus the north falls wihin the Fertile Cresent. Much of central and southeast Syrua is very arid approaching desert conditions. The Anti-Lebanon mountains dominate the west and the Hauran Plains the southwest. The Hittite dominated northern Syrua and neighboring areas (9-13 centuries BC). They were followed by the Phonecians in coastal areas (about 1250 BC). There were Assyrian, Babylonian, and Egyptian invasions. Syria eventully became a sort of the Persian Empire. Alexander conquerd the area as part of his destruction of the Persian Empire (332-331 BC) followed by Seleucidae rule. Pompey conquered hge area for Roime (63 BC). After the division of the Roman Empire it became part of the Byzantine Empire. Syria was the first are of Christian land conquired by the Arab outburst (7th century AD) and became part of Baghdad-based Caliphate. The Crusader seized some areas, but were retaken by Saladin. The Mamelukes subsequently seized the Levant. Mongol invaders devestated the Arab heartlands (13th cetury). The Ottoman Empire seized the Levant (16th century). with the decline of the Ottoman Empire, Egyptian Ibrahim Pasha seized much of the Levant (early-19th century). The Ottomans reasserted their control of the Levant, but not Egypt. The Ottoman Empire entered World War I on the side of the Central Powers (1914). After two failed Ottoman offensives to seize Suez, the British Army seized Palestine and ended the War by reching Damascus (1918). The League of Nation awarded a mandate to France (1920). Lebanon was created as a separate state (1926). The Allies during World War II seized Syria from Vichy (1941). A republic was proclaimed in the same year. France granted indepedence (1944). Independence was marked by instbility, growing nationalim and anti-Western feeling. The result was Army dominance. Syria joined the other front-line states and invaded Israel (1948). The Army proved largely ineffective in the fighting. A trade and arms agreement began a close relationship with the Soviet Union/Russia which still continues (1955). Communist influence grew in the army as Syria became a primary promoter of Arab socialism. It united with Egyot as the United Arab Republic. An Army coup was executed (1966). A mutual defense pact was signed with Egypt in the same year. Ground squirmishes and air actions led up to the Six Days War (1967). As a result, Israel seized the Golan Heights commading the Sea of Galilee. The country has been dominated by the Assad family for decades which has used military force to upress opposition. They are currently being challenged by the Arab Spring uprising. We have done some work on Syrian history. The country is primarily agrarian and pastoral. Pipelines from Iraq and Saudi Arabia provide some income. Syria has languished economically, in part because the Assad family which has dominated the country for decades has proven to be basically a crime ring demanding bag money from Syrians desiring to do business. Syria is a good example of the juxtaposition of supressing political and economic freedom resulting in poverty and economic failure. The Arabs are the dominant ethnic group with a Druse minority in the south. The country is predominately Muslim. Sunnis dominate, but there is a substantial Alawite minority. The Sunnis geneally look down on the Alawites as backward and even heretical. [Ajami], p. A17. There is also a Christian minority. The Assads have brought the Alawites to power. There is an ethnic/geographic faultline between the Alawite mountains and the Sunni planes. The ethnic, politica and religious difference broke out into a brutal civil war (2011).

Geography

Syria is located at the heart of the Levant. It was situated between the two great river valley civilizations, Mesopotamia and Egypt. And the ancient struggle between Hittities and Egyptians shifted to a divide beteen the Turkish north and Arab south. The Eurphrates River waters the north and thus the north falls wihin the Fertile Cresent. Much of central and southeast Syrua is very arid approaching desert conditions. The Anti-Lebanon mountains dominate the west and the Hauran Plains the southwest.

History

The Hittite dominated northern Syrua and neighboring areas (9-13 centuries BC). They were followed by the Phonecians in coastal areas (about 1250 BC). There were Assyrian, Babylonian, and Egyptian invasions. Syria eventully became a sort of the Persian Empire. Alexander conquerd the area as part of his destruction of the Persian Empire (332-331 BC) followed by Seleucidae rule. Pompey conquered hge area for Roime (63 BC). After the division of the Roman Empire it became part of the Byzantine Empire. Syria was the first are of Christian land conquired by the Arab outburst (7th century AD) and became part of Baghdad-based Caliphate. The Crusader seized some areas, but were retaken by Saladin. The Mamelukes subsequently seized the Levant. Mongol invaders devestated the Arab heartlands (13th cetury). The Ottoman Empire seized the Levant (16th century). with the decline of the Ottoman Empire, Egyptian Ibrahim Pasha seized much of the Levant (early-19th century). The Ottomans reasserted their control of the Levant, but not Egypt. The Ottoman Empire entered World War I on the side of the Central Powers (1914). After two failed Ottoman offensives to seize Suez, the British Army seized Palestine and ended the War by reching Damascus (1918). The League of Nation awarded a mandate to France (1920). Lebanon was created as a separate state (1926). The Allies during World War II seized Syria from Vichy (1941). A republic was proclaimed in the same year. France granted indepedence (1944). Independence was marked by instbility, growing nationalim and anti-Western feeling. The result was Army dominance. Syria joined the other front-line states and invaded Israel (1948). The Army proved largely ineffective in the fighting. A trade and arms agreement began a close relationship with the Soviet Union/Russia which still continues (1955). Communist influence grew in the army as Syria became a primary promoter of Arab socialism. It united with Egyot as the United Arab Republic. An Army coup was executed (1966). A mutual defense pact was signed with Egypt in the same year. Ground squirmishes and air actions led up to the Six Days War (1967). As a result, Israel seized the Golan Heights commading the Sea of Galilee. The country has been dominated by the Assad family for decades which has used military force to upress opposition. They are currently being challenged by the Arab Spring uprising.

Economy

The country is primarily agrarian and pastoral. Pipelines from Iraq and Saudi Arabia provide some income. Syria has languished economically, in part because the Assad family which has dominated the country for decades has proven to be basically a crime ring demanding bag money from Syrians desiring to do business. Syria is a good example of the juxtaposition of supressing political and economic freedom resulting in poverty and economic failure.

Ethnicity

The Arabs are the dominant cultural group, but this is an Arabized population based on the pre-Islamic population. The principl ethnicity is the indigenous Levantine people. This is blend of the various Semitic speaking groups indigenous to the region with a small Aaab admixture. Syria was conquereds by the Arabs (7th century) which geadually Arabized the population culturally, including Islminization. The actual Arab ethnic contribution, meaning peoplke from the Srabin Peninsula is relartively small. Syria's population is approximately 75 percent Sunni Muslim, other Muslims (including Alawites) make up about 15 percent of the population. Various Christian denominations made up about 10 percent of the population, but with the rise of fundamentlism, ISIS, and the Civil War Chrstians are increasingly tasrgeted. Substantial numbers hve been killed and mny are attempting to flee the country. Ther was once a flourshing Jewish community, but attacks and Governmnt repression has reduced it to a few elderly individuals. We are not sure of the ethnic differences among the different faiths. Probanly the Jews are the most ethniclly different because of the jnflux of Sefardi (15th-16th century). There is a Druse minority in the south and a Kurdiush populagion in the northeast. Armenians, Assyrians, Bedouin, Ismailis, Circassians, and Turkomans add to the ethnixmix. ethnic mix.

Religion

Religion also adds to the fragility of Syria. The country is predominately Muslim. Sunnis dominate, making up about 75 percent of the population. There are also Shi'ia pockjetrs and a substantial Alawite minority along the Mediterrnean coast. The Sunnis geneally look down on the Alawites as backward and even heretical. [Ajami, p. A17.] Under the assads they are, however, the dominant group. There is also a Christian minority divided into several different denominatiins. There was also a small Jewish community dating back to ancient times. The Assads have brought the Alawites to power. There is an ethnic/geographic faultline between the Alawite mountains and the Sunni planes. The ethnic, politica and religious difference broke out into a brutal civil war (2011). And the most important divide appears to be not so much religious or ethnic as it is ideological divide between Muslims. Fundamentalists want to pursue a political agenda and create a theocratic caliphare. Secularists want a more limited religious role in government. The highly nationalistic Kurds and the Sunni Islamists pose fundamental threat to the Syrian state. Both but especially the Ilmists are obtiming huge support from the Sunni oil states. Russian President Putin has been aiding the Assad regime. Prsudent Obama and the Europeans have been much more reluctant to get involved anbd support moderate secular groups.








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Created: 2:44 AM 7/21/2014
Last updated: 5:35 PM 11/1/2018