Is Syria a Shiite country?
• No, Syria is predominantly Sunni Muslim. It is 90% Muslim and 10% Christian. Of the Muslims, about 82% are Sunni; 18% are other Muslims, e.g., Druse and Alawites. The Alawites are a sect within Shia Islam. The Druze maintain a fairly secret religion. They are pretty independent. • Bashar al-Assad, the leader of Syria, is a member of the Alawite (Shia) minority. This is very important. His wife was Sunni. The ruling Alawites are concerned about maintaining power in Syria. While they have a natural affinity towards Shia Iran, the Syrians on the street are Sunni and more inclined towards traditional Arab power from Saudi Arabia and even rival Egypt. I believe there is major concern about Sunni Islamist unrest which could destabilize the present al-Assad government. • Lebanon’s religious demographics are very different. It is 39% Christian and 60% Muslim. I believe the Sunni/Shia split is roughly 50/50. There is a very large Shia population in Lebanon, heavily associated with Hizbullah.
