http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/syria-the-ultimate-catch-22-mass-murder-versus-islamic-extremism?f=puball
The foreign policy of President Barack Obama regarding Syria is in question. Russia and Iran back President Bashar al Assad. Turkey and the US call for his voluntary resignation. Secretary of State John Kerry stated a goal of decisions by mutual consent between the Assad Regime and rebel groups. This seems like Humpty Dumpty putting all of the pieces back together again.
Syria is an Arab country bordered by Israel, the Mediterranean, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon. It is in the cradle of civilization. Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Scholars believe that writing was invented in Syria around 2,000 BC. The Hebrew Bible refers to 17,000 tablets; the source of the Semitic language and later the basis for the Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, and Arabic languages.
Alexander the Great ended centuries of battles. Pompey and the Romans followed, Christianity spread. Islamic fighters arrived in 632 AD. Christians and Islamics co-existed for centuries. When Caliphs began to destroy churches, Crusaders arrived. Saladin fought Richard the Lionheart who recaptured Jerusalem in 1187. Mongols, then Egyptians, then Ottomans conquered Greater Syria which is now Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, parts of Turkey, and Iraq.
Lawrence of Arabia arrived in Damascus with Emir Feisal in 1918. Feisal was King of Syria. The San Remo Agreement ended that, and Syria was divided between Britain and France. Lebanon went to the French and what are now Israel and Jordon to the British.
Syria declared independence in 1946. Instability followed until 1970, when Hafiz al Assad seized power. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Following Hafiz death, his son, Bashar al Assad, was approved as President in 2000, and 2007. USA sanctions against Syria are due to its support of terrorists groups; providing Lebanon with weapons of mass destruction and Scud missiles in violation of UN Resolutions.