Syrian Regime Works To Eliminate Alawite Dissent

The mysterious death of the deputy chief of staff of Syria's General Command of the Army and Armed Forces, Gen. Bassam Najm el-Din Antakiali, and the disappearance and rumored death of former Syrian Defense Minister Gen. Ali Habib are signs that the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad may be working to snuff out Alawite dissenters within the upper ranks of the military. The sustainability of the regime depends on the Alawite-dominated military, and if high-ranking military officials deem the al Assads too big a liability, they may attempt to seize power pre-emptively to maintain Alawite control over the country. However, the al Assad clan is adept at rooting out dissenters and buying patronage within the regime, making it extraordinarily difficult for a viable Alawite alternative to the al Assads to rise up.