One issue was the possibility of Alawites maintaining their dominance within the army . Daniel Pipes argues that the primary reason was general public perceptions for the following reasons . First , the Sunni bourgeoisie had perceived the army as the place of minorities and those who are less socially advanced . Using various corruption channels , Sunnis would attempt to avoid the military service , which was not an option for Alawites , who were generally living in worse economic conditions compared to Sunnis . Lastly , the Sunni elite viewed the army as a threat to political stability and minimized its budget . This fostered selforganization among Alawites , which was a valuable opportunity for them to appropriate the functions and operations of the army to their needs and interests 13 . Sunnis underestimated the importance of the army , which plays a critical role in maintaining control and ensuring the maintenance of political power . A consolidated power among Alawites within the army gave them the ability to dismiss many Sunni officers . Another institution that fostered Alawites ’ solidarity was the Ba ’ ath Party . A dynamic similar to the one that had occurred in the Syrian Army could also be noted within the party . There was an ongoing rivalry among different Sunni groups as to who should take ruling positions . Meanwhile , Alawites were rapidly achieving political progress 14 .
It is commonly argued that political stability in Syria was generally due to the dominance of the religious minority over a majority since 1963 . It is interesting to observe that the supporters of the Ba ' ath Party were not only Alawites , but also representatives of other religious minorities such as the Druze . Since 1963 , when political power became concentrated in the hands of the Baathists , it is important to consider the composition of the government and the military elite that attained power
The Importance of Military Interventions
Military interventions have been discussed within different academic discourses . Brian Taylor argues that three forms of military involvement can be identified : the traditional understanding of military interventions focused solely on civil-military relations , military arbitration resulting in the resolution of a power dispute of civilian sovereignty , and “ no military involvement ” used to explain a situation when there is a regular sequence of events within the state . According to
13
Campbell John C . and Daniel Pipes , Greater Syria : The History of an Ambition , Foreign Affairs 69 , no . 2 ( 1990 ), 185 .
14
Van Dusen , Michael , Syria : Downfall of a Traditional Elite , In Frank Tachau ( ed .), Political Elites and Political Development in the Middle East . ( Cambridge , Mass : Schenkman Publishing Company Inc ).
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