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Source: http://jcpa.org/russia-iran-abetting-syrian-government/
Why Russia and Iran Are Abetting the Syrian Government
(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Harold Rhode - The Syrian government, Russia, and Iran are trying the change the demographic makeup of Syria, aiming to depopulate Syria of Sunni Arabs. All three see themselves in an existential battle against radical Sunnis and are now moving to repopulate formerly Sunni areas of Syria with Shiites - mostly from Iraq. In Russia, where 98% of the Muslims are Sunni, the Russian government has undertaken a program - with some success - to entice Russian Sunnis to convert to Shiism. Dr. Harold Rhode served for 28 years as an advisor on the Islamic world in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense.