The Western world; specifically the US, the EU and Israel, misjudged the situation - then reacted inappropriately. Now, we're left hoping that when Assad goes down, he and his troops take out as many of the Al-Nusrati and other Salafis as possible in the process. What an incredible mess, and so poorly handled.
The dictatorial Baathist Party rule of Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez al-Assad before him was autocratic to be sure. And brutal on occasion, as the ruling party ruthlessly put-down any attempt at political change. As it turn out, the Party utilized its dictatorial powers to not only reward family, tribe and loyalty; but to ensure a non-sectarian and fundamentalist-free state. The benefits of that arrangement were many, including the free practice of religion for Syrian Druze, Christians, Sunni & Shiite Muslims. Cultural minorities like the Kurds were given more freedoms in Syria than in many of their host countries. And women were particularly advantaged, in that the regime actively promoted equal rights and acceptance of women in all aspects of life. Syria boasts women pilots, lawyers, doctors and professors - unlike many other Arab countries where the role of women is often restricted by cultural practice or religious mandate. In Assad's Syria, women could dress in whatever manner they chose; they could aspire to any job; and, many were very successful in society. That will not be the case in a Salafi-controlled country.
The problem has been a profound US and European misunderstanding of the players, the cultures, and the religious sects involved in the Levant and across North Africa. This inexplicable lapse has lead to serious misjudgements and missteps. It is time for this kind of poorly informed and executed foreign policy to be more thoroughly scrutinized and for those responsible to be held accountable for the unfortunate outcomes we're now facing.
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