LOSE-UP lim Brotherhood, which has posed the biggest internal Hafez al-Assad challenge. In February 1982 the army brutally crushed a Muslim Brotherhood rebel- The Hindawi affair, and population, which is 70% lion in Hama in an operation Syria's part in working for Sunni Muslim. An offshoot of that claimed the lives of over the release of hostages held the Shi'a, the Alawis are re- 20,000 people. Although this in Beirut, have highlighted garded by many Muslims as reduced the brotherhood's the two contrasting images heretics, although in 1973 activities, Assad has this prevailing in the West of Assad persuaded the year been unnerved by a Syria's president, Hafez al- Lebanese Shi'a leader, the series of well co-ordinated Assad. On the one hand, he is late Imam Mousa Sadr, to bomb attacks. These have perceived as an extremist rule that the Alawis are been variously attributed to ready to resort to the most Shi'ites. the Muslim Brotherhood, sinister methods to achieve The Alawi mountains were Palestinians, the Iraqis, the his ends. On the other, he is one of the poorest and most Israelis and Lebanese Christ- regarded as a stabilising backward areas of Syria, and ians - the regime has no shor- force in a politically chaotic like other Syrian minorities tage of enemies. part of the world, whose co- the Alawis used the Ba'th Assad is a somewhat au- operation is vital if peace is Party, created in 1940, and stere man, and a workaholic ever to be attained. the military to advance whose punishing schedule is Until recently, Western themselves. In the years fol- thought to have precipitated countries were prepared to lowing the March 1963 coup his serious illness (probably play down suspected terror- led by Ba'thist and other a heart attack) in late 1983. ist activity and its links with officers, Assad was one of The illness triggered shows groups such as Abu Nidal's in the central figures in the in- of armed strength between order to maintain relations tricate jockeying for power Assad's controversial with Damascus. But the Hin- between different Ba'thist brother, Rifaat, and his milit- dawi trial and the subsequent factions before he achieved ary rivals. Rifaat, one of cutting of relations with power in 1970. three vice-presidents, now Assad: Under pressure Syria by Britain have chal- This talent for manoeuvre appears to be in 'exile' in lenged this approach. has stood him in good stead Europe, but the succession with Israel 'in political, de- The role of Assad himself in during his presidency, when issue seems to be unre- mographic, social, educa- the Hindawi plot is obscure, he has often been able to solved. If Assad is suddenly tional, economic and military but whether he was aware of juggle a complex set of removed from the stage, aspects of life.' He sees the it, or whether it was planned domestic and regional fac- there could well be a re- treaty of friendship and co- independently by one of tors to Syria's benefit. He has newed struggle for power. operation signed with the made and broken alliances Assad is determined that Soviet Union in October 1980 with sometimes ruthless other Arab countries should as vital. Since the decimation 'Assad is determined that abruptness, and his relations not follow Egypt's example of the Syrian air force in the other Arab countries should with the opposing factions in in signing a peace agreement Israeli invasion of Lebanon not follow Egypt's example in Lebanon, with the various with Israel. He fears that in in 1982, the Soviet Union has Palestinian organisations such a 'salami' approach to installed a sophisticated air signing a peace agreement and with other Arab states peace, he will be left out in defence system, and has with Israel' have frequently shifted over the cold without regaining poured in weaponry. the past 10 years in the pur- the Golan Heights seized by But Assad is far from being Syria's several intelligence suit of his wider objectives. Israel in 1967. It was Syrian a 'Soviet proxy' in the Middle agencies - perhaps even by a Although much of the real pressure that led Lebanon to East, as is sometimes dissident faction - his stand- political power in Syria is abrogate a US-sponsored claimed, and there have been ing has suffered. now concentrated in the accord with Israel signed in serious differences between In November, Assad cele- hands of the Alawis, Assad May 1983. The deal collapsed the two sides - for example brated the 16th anniversary has made efforts to widen his the following March after over divisions in the PLO. In of his coming to power in a power base. Thus in the early the US withdrew its marines addition, Assad has for all his bloodless coup. His ability to days of his presidency he from Beirut. rhetoric been keen to im- have survived as president in reversed some of the hard- But Assad still faces serious prove the dialogue with the a country previously famous line policies of his 'neo- challenges in Lebanon, and West. for its high coup rate, and to Ba'thist' predecessors, has not succeeded in making The coming months are have steered Syria to a pivot- courting the urban private the Syrian-backed peace likely to be a testing time for al position in Middle Eastern sector with a series of econo- agreement stick. The grow- Assad. Not only are the poli- politics, is remarkable. mic liberalisations, estab- ing power of the Iranian- tical pressures mounting, There was, however, no- lishing a People's Council backed Shi'ite groups, parti- but the Syrian economy is in thing in his early background (although this has little pow- cularly Hizbollah, is wor- a critical state, with a lack of to suggest he would one day er), and improving relations rying him, and is putting hard currency and shortages become president of Syria. with other Arab countries. further strain on relations of food, equipment and raw He was born in 1930 in the But the prospect of secta- with Iran which he supports materials. But Assad still en- village of Qardaha, inland rian strife on Lebanese lines in the Gulf War. He is also joys a strong regional posi- from the Mediterranean port is a constant nightmare to concerned about the Palesti- tion, and has squeezed out of of Latakia. He is a member of Assad, and the regime has nian comeback in Lebanon. many tight corners in the the Alawi minority, compris- been unsparing towards its Assad frequently refers to past. ing around 12% of the Syrian opponents, notably the Mus- the need for strategic parity Susannah Tarbush 56 MARXISM TODAY DECEMBER 1986.