Believably long-time one of the Middle East's most 'secretive countries', and long time allied with the Soviet Union now Russia, Syria's response to its civil unrest was naked military violence that shock even war-hardened neighbors.
Things have not always been this way, for history has it that the nation 'Syria' began when it shrugged off French colonial rule and embraced hopes of Pan-Arab unity. The nation was one of the first members of the 22-Nation Arab League. However, a burgeoning Cold War-era relationship with the Soviet Union resulted in Syria adopting the worst characteristics of a totalitarian regime. It amassed one of the world's largest chemical weapons arsenals as a deterrent against neighboring Israel, and invested billions of dollars in Soviet and Russian-built military equipment thereby isolating itself almost completely from the rest of the world.
In retrospect, going back to 1920 to be precise, and fast-forward to the present, shows the beginning of a Syrian nation with hope for Arab unity, ideas, prosperity, though they were short-lived as throughout the last three decades, Syria became synonymous with the 'SIR' syndrome: Silence, Isolation, and Repression.
Sequentially listed below is a pictorial of decades of Syria's unrests, as it evolves to the present state, that has left the once blooming nation 'almost sacked'.
Sequentially listed below is a pictorial of decades of Syria's unrests, as it evolves to the present state, that has left the once blooming nation 'almost sacked'.
Pictorial of Syria's conflicts in history:
Photo below: November 1925, a shot of the ruined city of Damascus, near the American Consulate; French barricade to save the Christian quarters of the city. Reportedly shelled by the French under General Sarrail.
Photo below: November 1925, a shot of the ruined city of Damascus, near the American Consulate; French barricade to save the Christian quarters of the city. Reportedly shelled by the French under General Sarrail.
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Photo below:11th Nov. 1925, the world woke to the shocking news of the bombardment of the beautiful city of Damascus under the command of Gen Sarrail. he reportedly stated that the bombardment was necessary because the French were cooped in Damascus city by 'Mohammedan uprising'. 2000 people were reportedly killed including non combatant foreigners.
Photo Below: Riot broke out in Damascus on March 31, 1936, after some nationalists were banished to the desert near Dier- El- zor for allegedly fomenting trouble. As a result a general strike was declared which spread to other parts of Syria. Many were reportedly injured. The situation was so bad that the French High Commissioner Comte De-Martel granted amnesty to the banished Nationalists and freed political prisoners.
Photo below: On Sept.10th 1936,the Franco Syrian Alliance was signed at the Quai D-Orsay by representatives of the two nations, given Independent to the Syrian people.
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Photo below: Vichy's High Commissioner for Syria, Gen. Henri Dentz on May 10th 1941, in Beruit Lebanon.
Photo below: Fred French troops and vehicles cheered by residents in Damascus, after after Vichy's forces evacuated Syria in June 1941.
Above photo shows British artillery unit in position on a gentle rolling slope during their entry into Syria on July 21st 1941.
Above photo shows when the British and 'free French' took over Syria from 'Vichy French', they also took over the job of providing food for needy Syrians. here is a typical example of a food distribution center.
Above photo shows Syrians burning 'French book' in a burn fire to celebrate independence in 1946
Above photo shows July 11 1949, Damascus - Syria. Col Husni al- za'im during his inauguration as President of Syrian Republic.
Above photo shows Dec. 12 1955, Syrian troop reinforcements rushing into mountain positions dominating the narrow breaches of the Sea of Galilee.
Above photo shows Dec. 16 1955, Tel Aviv- Yafo Israel: Threats of join military actions by Egypt and Syria against Israel brought about more dangerous crisis ion the middle east, helped by some armed supplies by communist Czechoslovakia with 'the blessing of Russia'.
March 15, 1956, Cairo Egypt: The Arab "big 3" earlier on March 12, announced the completion of coordinated Arab defense plans to meet any Israeli aggression.
Above photo shows Feb 1, 1958, Cairo - Egypt: Cheering crowd as Egypt President Gamel Abdel Naser and Syrian President Shukri al-Quwatli rode to the Presidency to sign the papers making the final merger of Egypt and Syria into a United Arab state.
Above photo shows Feb. 26, 1958, Damascus - Syria: Syrian president Shukri al-Quwatli castes his ballot in the plebiscite during the vote that made Syria and Egypt a united Arab Republic.
Above photo shows Dec 9, 1961, Damascus Syria: Men and boys parade in support of the new government in Syria.
Above photo shows March 31 1963, Damascus - Syria: A Syrian led a pro-Nesser demonstration at Damascus air-port to welcome an Algerian delegation visiting Syria for talk on 'Arab Unity' with the nation's revolution by regime.
Above photo shows March 8, 1966, Gen Hafez Assaad taking salute at a parade marking the 3rd anniversary of the revolt that brought the Ba'ath socialist party to power.
Above photo shows Syrian soldiers at Golan Heights after it's capture by Israel in 1967
Above photo shows June 7, 1967: Israeli tanks advanced into Syria during the 6 day war, by June 10, when the war was halted Israel controlled the entire Sinai Peninsula, all Jordanian territory west of the river Jordan, and the Golan Height of Syria.
Above photo shows 1968: Syrian refugee children play at a water bump in the Duma refugee camp.
Above photo shows Feb 13, 1969: Damascus - Syria: Arab women demonstration in support of UN intervention in the middle east.
Above photo shows Jan 1, 1971: Gen Hafez Assaad marks his 1st yr in power. major achievement then being his ability to bring Syria into the mainstream of Arab politics after years of isolation.
Above photo shows Syria's Premier and Defence minister, Hafez Assaad waves after he was welcomed on arrival in Moscow by Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin.
Above photo shows Jan 20, 1974, U.S Secretary of state Henry Kissinger and Syrian president Hafez Assaad.
Above photo shows May 2, 1974 U.S Secretary of state Henry Kissinger meets with Israeli Prime Minister Golda meir in her Jerusalem garden.
Above photo shows June 1, 1974, Syrian soldiers search for mine buried in the ground, following initial Israeli pullout from Golan Heights sector it captured in the 1973 war.
Above photo shows June 1, 1974, Syrian POWs arrive Damascus from Israel after the Oct, 1974 war.
Above photo shows Dec. 14, 1981, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin read the controversial Golan Heights annexation bill to the parliament.
Above photo shows Nov. 1990, Syrian troops arrived Saudi Arabia, as part of the international coalition mobilized during the gulf war to expel Irag from Kuwait.
Above photo shows April 22, 1996, Syrian president talks with U.S secretary of state Warren Christopher who was in Damascus to hear Hezbollah's term to halt the 12 day old conflict with Israel.
Above photo shows July 17, 1998, Hafez Asaad at the Arabian Institute in Paris. there were signs the septuagenarian wanted peace with Israel as a way of ensuring a lasting legacy.
Above photo shows Dec 10, 1999, a group of men waved Syrian flag and pictures of their President in the Golan Heights town of Ein-el Tineh on the Syrian side of the frontier with majdal shams.
Above photo shows Dec 13, 1999: Israeli peace activist wave signs during a peace rally to support the Prime Minister Ehud barak in Jerusalem.
Above photo shows Dec 16 1999, President Clinton remarks on the two days talk between Israeli Prime Minister and Syria Foreign Minister, Farouk al-sharaa during a statement at the White House in Washington.
Above photo shows March 26, 2000: U.S President shakes hands with his Syrian counterpart at the opening of their meeting in Geneva. the leaders were expected to announce a date for the resumption of the Syria/ Israeli negotiations stalled since January.
Above photo shows June 13, 2000: Syrian soldiers carry the coffin of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad in Damascus, Hafez died at the age of 69.
Above photo shows June 12, 2000: Two mourners carrying portraits of their late president and his son Bashar, hit their chest, cutting themselves with knives to express sadness over the death of their President.
Above photo shows Syrians troop the street carrying portraits of the late president and his son Bashar who was nominated to succeed his father as president.
Above photo shows June 17, 2000: a general view of the opening session of Syria ruling Baath party conference (the 1st in 15 yrs) in Damascus, expected to declare Bashar presidential candidate and setting him to replace his father who died on June 10th.
Above photo shows Jan 18, 2003: Syrian troop in thousands to protest against a possible war on Irag, and to express support for Palestinians.
Above photo shows April2 2003, About 1,500 Syrian school children stage a sit-in outside UNICEF office in Damascus, to pretest the U.S-British war on Irag.
Above photo shows Nov. 6 2004: U.S observe activities on the Syrian side of the border, from their Iragi side at the Abu-Kamal border crossing.
Above photo shows Feb. 14, 2005: Lebanese Police block through the massive bomb attack scene that tore through the motorcade of former Prime minister Rafik Hariri in Bruit Lebanon. Hariri who resigned the previous fall following a sharp dispute with Syria died in the blast alongside an estimated 9 other people.
Above photo shows Feb. 15th, 2005: Syrian's Vice President Abdul Halim khadam pays condolence to Bahaa Hariri son of slain former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri at the memorial service for Hariri in Beruit - Lebanon. An attack the United States government called a "terrible reminder" that Lebanon still must shake free of occupation by Syria.
Above photo shows Sept. 16, 2005: supporters of former prime minister Rafik Hariri at his funeral procession in Beirut Lebanon.
Above photo shows Feb. 21, 2005: Lebanese carry anti-Syrian banners during a demonstration.
Above photo shows Oct. 31st 2005: U.S Secretary of States Condoleezza Rice and U.S Ambassador John Bolton, at a ministerial level security council meeting at which a resolution threatening Syria with economic sanctions if it does not corporate fully with the probe into the murder of Lebanon's ex-premier at the U.N head quarters.
Above photo shows March 5th, 2005: Lebanese opposition protesters watch a live outside broadcast of the speech by Syrian President Bashar that Syria would move it's troops to the country's eastern region; to be followed by a with drawl to the Syrian/ Lebanese border.
Above photo shows March 7, 2005: Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and his Syrian counterpart exchanged documents in Damascus.
Above photo shows January 19, 2006; Syrian President and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad walk past the guard of honour in Damascus.
Above photo shows March 21st, 2011. Syrian's Policeman stands in front of burnt building that was set in fire by Syrian's anti-government protesters in the northern city of Daraa-Syria.
Above photo shows March 25th, 2011: A supporter of President Bashar Assad carries his picture during a rally after Friday prayers outside the Omayyad mosque in Damascus.
Above photo shows Anti-Syrian government protesters and pro Syrian government protesters clash after a Friday prayers in Damascus.
Above photo shows March 29, 2011; Pro Assad protest in Damascus - Syria.
Above photo shows June 15, 2011, Syrian refugee children walk over bricks stored for road repairs.
Above photo shows Nov. 24, 2011, Syrians foreign minister's seat empty during during a meeting for Arab Foreign Ministers in Cairo!
Above photo shows January 31, 2012; U.S Secretary of States Hilary Clinton, listens as Syrian's ambassador to United Nation, speaks at a U.N's Security Council meeting on the crisis in Syria.
Pictures of the Syrian War as it escalates
What next for the Syrian nation???
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