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Declassified CIA Memo Shows How US Has Been Plotting Syrian Regime Change For Decades

A newly declassified CIA memo from the 1980s discusses how "US interests [in Syria] would be best served by a Sunni regime controlled by business-oriented 'moderates'" Matthew Allen     It was part of the plan It's public knowledge that Washington has been plotting against Syria  since the days of Eisenhower. But thanks to  a newly declassified CIA memo , we can now read Washington's heavily-redacted strategy for creating "favorable conditions" in Syria. Even back in the 1980s, it was clear that provoking a Sunni insurgency fueled by ethnic and religious hatred was the easiest way to topple the government. As the memo  notes : Sunnis make up 60 percent of the Syrian officer corps but are concentrated in junior officer ranks; enlisted men are predominantly Sunni conscripts.  We believe that a renewal of communal violence between Alawis and Sunnis could inspire Sunnis in the military to turn against the regime. The ultimate goal? Creating a ...