The Godfather
A Brief History of Modern Syria
It all began with an isolated mountain people, living in a neglected region of a
Mediterranean country famed for its rich cultural heritage …
The Mountains of Sicily
The Alawite Mountains
One man clawed his way to leadership, using a combination of tactical
brilliance and ruthless killing…
Vito Corleone
Hafez al-Assad
(the Lion-hearted)
(the Lion)
He groomed his eldest son to assume leadership of the family
enterprise…
Sonny Corleone
Bassel al-Assad
But the eldest son was hot-headed and reckless, and was killed in a
vehicle-related incident…
Sonny Corleone was
assassinated at a
tollbooth
Bassel al-Assad drove his
Mercedes off the road
The father mourned the death of his eldest son, and recruited his
younger son to take his place. The younger son had lived abroad and
become highly educated and respected…
Michael Corleone
Bashar al-Assad
The younger son’s reputation was enhanced by his marriage to a
beautiful, blond, articulate woman…
Kay Corleone
Asma al-Assad
Hopes for reform grew following the father’s death. The younger son’s
assumption of leadership seemed to promise a break from the family’s
violent ways …
The funeral of Vito Corleone
The funeral of Hafez al-Assad
But these hopes were dashed, as the younger son proved to be even
more ruthless than the father…
To be continued…