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Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-syria/2012/03/12/gIQAvgiiES_story.html
Challenging Myths about Syria
(Washington Post) Roger Owen - International efforts to stop the violence in Syria have focused on forcing Assad to step down. But even if he did, there would be no change in the government's policy of crushing the Free Syrian Army's activities and demonstrations with force. Surrounding the president is a tightly knit group of military and security officials, mostly from the Alawite minority, who have grown enormously wealthy over the past two to three decades. Bashar al-Assad is seen as a figurehead who is easily replaceable by someone much tougher. Syria is already in a civil war, with an intensity that often surpasses that in conventional wars between nations. The Syrian regime is much more cohesive than that of Moammar Gaddafi and has much more popular support. With its loyal brigades of largely Alawite troops and its pervasive network of informers, thugs and intelligence operatives, it has been preparing to confront an internal threat for decades. Syria also has the advantage of diplomatic and other support from Russia. The writer is a professor of Middle East history at Harvard University.