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Defections Test Assad's Ability to Sustain Crackdown

(Reuters) Khaled Yacoub Oweis - Cracks in Syria's military are widening along sectarian lines, say analysts, fueling an armed mutiny that may pose an even greater threat to President Bashar al-Assad than the street protests which have rocked the country for months. Diplomats and military experts say army cohesiveness is fraying and defections increasing. "The crackdown is looking increasingly unsustainable. Assad is more unable to rely on the majority Sunni rank and file. It is costing lots of money to move already exhausted core troops and his capability of launching simultaneous strikes on protest centers is diminishing," a European diplomat said. "The Sunni backlash against him is growing." Maj.-Gen. Moussa Hadid, a former Jordanian army strategist, said Syria's military command had intensified censorship and cut holidays to try to prevent Sunni conscripts from finding out about the extent of killings by the security forces in their home regions. "They send conscripts from the south to the north and vice versa. Despite all the controls over the senior officers and army and soldiers, a lot of them are now becoming more distrustful of the regime and are awaiting the opportunity to support the uprising."
2011-10-28 00:00:00
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