August 24, 2011Why Iraqi Government Is Backing AssadJuan Cole, Iran Primer
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![]() AP Photo Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki does not state motivations. But it appears that two things are going on. There is a domestic reason; Maliki is worried about Bashar al Assad being overthrown. Assad belongs to the minority Shiite sect of Alawites. Many of Assad's opponents are Sunnis- some of whom are Sunni fundamentalists. And some of those are the sort of people who were supporting the Sunni insurgency in Iraq. Maliki does not want them to come to power in Damascus and become his neighbors. TAGGED: Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq, Syria, Iran RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
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