Syrian Arab Republic

Modern day Syria is anything but a free country by western standards as its name, the Syrian Arab Republic, suggests. It is a land and people that have been shaped by a long history of occupation, domination, war and instability dating back to ancient times. Modern day Syria is a relatively recent entity, colonized by French Occupiers after World War II it gained its independence in 1946. Syrian independence was followed by years of uncertainty marked with political instability and numerous seizures of power by various Arab sects until 1963, when the pan-Arab Ba'ath Party seized power and amended the constitution to guarantee itself the "leading role in society and the state." The current regime came to power by way of a coup in November of 1970. The Syrian Arab Republic is a parliamentary system and a republic only on rudimentary levels. The government is closely controlled by the president and his socialist Ba'ath party who also have firm control of the military, internal security and intelligence apparatus as well as most of the economy and civil life. While there have been attempts at revolution, dissident and opposition groups are dealt with sternly by the regime, which, according to numerous studies and reports conducted by Freedom House, has