many alawite leaders are boldly denouncing iran and russia and making overtures to western nations. of course in retrospect, it is obvious that alliances with russia and iran were never about ideological or religious reasons but geopolitical calculations. yet is it fair that after 14 years of brutal civil war that alawites proclaim a fresh start, that the past can be forgotten? is it fair that after allying with russia and iran, that alawite provisional government can simply gravitate to the west without facing any repercussions? the sunnis inland have been outraged by the alawite proclamation, many of them proclaiming jihad against alawites. is their anger justified? as unfortunate it might be to say, the answer is yes. an alawite state would effectively cut off syrian access to the coast and leave the devastated cities inland even more impoverished and destabilized than before. it is unfortunate that many in hayat tahrir al-sham and other sunni organizations have proclaimed jihad against the alawites in the coastline. it is this cycle of perpetual conflict that may embolden the alawites, making their gestures to an independent state more palatable to the west. no doubt that the apg has made this calculation. the sunnis in the syrian heartland must stop their calls of violence. however, they must also make it clear to the west that the alawite proclamation is no righteous proclamation of a minority group who seeks their independence, but a cynical ploy to create a fresh start and abandon any notions of dispensing justice to the criminals of the assad regime.
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