Do you know Syria.

How many American & British    Politicians calling for Intervention in Syria know the modern History. Here's my " idiots" simple history. Actually it's very complicated. 

Quick history of Syria & who & how the country was ruled.

In 1516, the Ottoman Empire invaded the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt, conquering Syria.

Ottoman administration followed a unique system that lead to a peaceful coexistence for centuries. Each religious minority — Shia Muslim, Greek Orthodox, Maronite, Armenian, and Jewish—constituted a millet. The religious heads of each community administered all personal status law and performed certain civil functions as well.

In the midst of World War I, two Allied diplomats secretly agreed on the post-war division of the Ottoman Empire into respective zones of influence in the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916. Giving the area of Syria to the UK. The " Syrians" had fought for the British, thinking that they would get independence after the war.

The present border was established when Syria became a League of Nations mandate in 1920 under French rule.

During the Second World War the French were forced ( by the British & Nationalists ) to evacuate their troops in April 1946. This led to Independence. 

TSince independence there has been  many COUP'S with the Military involved. Leading to two periods : Syrian Republic (1930–1958), United Arab Republic, and 1963 Syrian coup d'état. The country signed an agreement with the Soviet Union in 1956.

In  November 1970 the Corrective Movement, a bloodless military overthrow  installed Hafez al-Assad as the strongman of the government. He ruled until his death 10 June 2000. His son, Bashar al-Assad, was elected President in an election in which he ran unopposed.

The ongoing Syrian civil war was inspired by the Arab Spring Revolutions. It began in 2011.

The Religious breakdown. Very important in the cause and outcome of Coups & civil war.

Sunni account for 74% of the population, while 13% are Shia (Alawite, Twelvers, and Ismailis combined), 10% Christian  (the majority Antiochian Orthodox, the rest include Greek Catholic, Assyrian Church of the East, Armenian Orthodox, Protestants and other denominations), and 3% Druze.

Very Important !

President Bashar al-Assad's family is Alawite and Alawites dominate the government of Syria and hold key military positions.

Quick Numbers

Population 2013 22 million approx.

Christians (2.5 million), Druze ( 500,000)

The Syrian armed forces, comprising some 400,000 troops upon mobilization. The military is a conscripted force.

The oil sector provides about 40% of export earnings. The agriculture sector contributes to about 20% of GDP and 20% of employment.

In 2008 Unemployment was just above 10%. Poverty rates in 2004 were   12.3%.

As of 2012, due to the ongoing Syrian civil war, the value of Syria's overall exports has been slashed by two thirds, from the figure of $12 billion USD in 2010 to only $4 billion USD in 2012.

In 2010 The literacy rate of Syrians aged 15 and older was 90.7% for males and 82.2% for females.

In August 2012, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that the number of registered Syrian refugees had reached over 200,000. Also according to the United Nations, 6 million people inside Syria needed help and about 4 million Syrians were internally displaced because of the Syrian civil war.