Chaos feared as Syria crisis nears impasse - World news on msnbc.com
For now, Assad counts on the support of a small but growing Syrian middle class, a mixture of Sunnis, Alawites and other ethnic groups that live mostly in the cities of Damascus and Aleppo. This newly monied class, mostly traders and small manufacturers, has seen life gradually improve since Hafez Assad died in 2000, and his son began opening up the country’s economy.
“So far, they continue to think that Assad’s regime ensures stability and continuity,” said Hilal Khashan, a professor of political science at the American University of Beirut. “If they reach the conclusion that Assad is not their man, and the regime is not one to rely upon, they will join the protest movement.”
That, he said, would be the point when the Syrian army would step in — when they believed a coup could keep economic chaos at bay while allowing Alawite military commanders to retain at least some power.
