April 29th, 2016, I published a posting about the Syrian Army. (To be clear, I was not referencing the “Free Syrian Army” rather the “Syrian Army”).

Today, July 4th, 2017, I post new attached insights, briefly explaining the historical policy of the USA toward Syria’s government in the 1950’s, with brief analysis also about how the Syrian regime unfortunately engaged in wars against some of our friend nations. This complexity is serious; and this very complexity, highlights why the civil war is confusing, tragic, and involved by so many nations in the country of Syria today.

First, the religious sects and groups of the middle east have longtime distinguish themselves from one another based not only on militant Islam vs. peaceful Islam, on wealth vs. poverty, on strife between Islam and Christianity, on those who believe in the legitimacy of direct bloodline of their prophet [compared to those who do not emphasize the legitimacy of that bloodline (Sunni)], the complex politics and money systems which have forged alliances and changes of those allegiances [swiftly, or over extended periods of time], and of course more specifics and dynamics than I point out and know of.

All that said most briefly, in the 1950’s, the US policy was to oppose all Communism, which at that time originated prevalent out of Russia [no longer a Communist country]. The US had feared, that Syria would drift into Communism itself. Attempting to curtail what the USA feared, she made efforts to overthrow the Syrian government at the time, and instill a much more conservative hard-liner by the name of Adib Shishakly (“Killing Hope”-William Blum). The policies of the 1950’s, still today, very much seem to shape some military decision making of the USA. Nevertheless, we have no reason to fear that Syria will become a Communist nation, as was the concern in the 1950’s (legitimate concern or not). If it did today, I would be very surprised.

Today, we can analyze just why we arm rebel groups in another country’s civil war; we can also analyze why we would permit private individuals to supply arms and money to rebel groups there. We can also speculate why we would share a goal of defeating ISIS with Russia and Syria, yet find it difficult to cooperate nonetheless. But, we can also analyze how the Syrian Army many years ago fought Israel-and we can object today for what was done then. We can also object to practices of torture and deprivation against dissidents. There is so much wrong done, that we cannot paint one side as the hero and one the villain. That is what is hard for many people to accept, as we seek clear winners and losers. But, it seems that cooperation among the most level headed people, is showing prevalence in bringing back security and money to those who need it most. That is what we need to pray for. That is what we can hope, for the victims of the war in Syria.