In 1970, a political situation in Syria turned bad when a branch of Islamic military leaders took power. Syrians had, for many centuries, been ruled by foreigners, and are now being ruled by their own minority. Syrians hoped that the ruling family, the Assads, would bring stability and freedom.
In 1973, three years after he seized power, Assad joined the Egyptian president in war against Israel. While the Soviet Union supplied Egypt and Syria, the US supported Israel. The war damaged relations throughout the Middle East and didn't do anything for Syria.
Civil war enveloped Lebanon, before the region could even recover. The higher powers and the regional powers, including Syria, used allies in Lebanon to start their own wars during the Lebanese Civil War. This brought Syria into a war with itself.
The Lebanese Civil War benefited the black markets, controlled by the Assad regime, along the Syrian Lebanese border. This started to cause corruption in Syria.
Syria is an extremely closed economy and smuggling started to become normal. Even items you use on a daily basis like food, drinks, etc. had began to be smuggled.
The corruption in Syria had gotten worse as time went on. A new upper class was created from all religions who took advantage of the situation. They got close to the Alawite regime to continue their business. This created an issue with the middle class by taking away a majority of their income. This formulated anger and hostility towards the regime.
The regime had remained its hold on power through dictatorship. They eliminated dissent through censoring media, silencing opponents and critics, preventing free speech, and denying political expression.
The Syrian conflict began as a protest about corruption. It got violent when there was a lack of response and the military took action on the opposition. The protesters began to seek help from foreign governments. Military and financial aid were offered from Iran and Hezbollah with the condition that the "New Syria" would cut links with them.
New sectarianism began to spread more as time when on.
In 1973, three years after he seized power, Assad joined the Egyptian president in war against Israel. While the Soviet Union supplied Egypt and Syria, the US supported Israel. The war damaged relations throughout the Middle East and didn't do anything for Syria.
Civil war enveloped Lebanon, before the region could even recover. The higher powers and the regional powers, including Syria, used allies in Lebanon to start their own wars during the Lebanese Civil War. This brought Syria into a war with itself.
The Lebanese Civil War benefited the black markets, controlled by the Assad regime, along the Syrian Lebanese border. This started to cause corruption in Syria.
Syria is an extremely closed economy and smuggling started to become normal. Even items you use on a daily basis like food, drinks, etc. had began to be smuggled.
The corruption in Syria had gotten worse as time went on. A new upper class was created from all religions who took advantage of the situation. They got close to the Alawite regime to continue their business. This created an issue with the middle class by taking away a majority of their income. This formulated anger and hostility towards the regime.
The regime had remained its hold on power through dictatorship. They eliminated dissent through censoring media, silencing opponents and critics, preventing free speech, and denying political expression.
The Syrian conflict began as a protest about corruption. It got violent when there was a lack of response and the military took action on the opposition. The protesters began to seek help from foreign governments. Military and financial aid were offered from Iran and Hezbollah with the condition that the "New Syria" would cut links with them.
New sectarianism began to spread more as time when on.