Changes

The '''[[Syria|Syrian War]]''' began in March 2011 with the simultaneous uprisings in many Mideast countries which Western media and the US State Department called the '[[Arab Spring]]'. However the belligerent forces by the second year were largely non-state combatants and veterans of the [[Operation Iraqi Freedom#Insurgency|Iraqi insurgency]] (mercenaries).<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/14/us-iraq-syria-idUSTRE81D0NX20120214 Iraqi fighters, arms trickle into Syria as violence grows,] By Khalid al-Taie, ''Reuthers'', Feb 14, 2012.</ref> Since the start of the war over 400,000 people have been killed.<ref>https://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/17/middleeast/syria-civil-war/</ref>

The '''[[Syria|Syrian War]]''' began in March 2011 with the simultaneous uprisings in many Mideast countries which Western media and the US State Department called the '[[Arab Spring]]'. However the belligerent forces by the second year were largely non-state combatants and veterans of the [[Operation Iraqi Freedom#Insurgency|Iraqi insurgency]] (mercenaries).<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/14/us-iraq-syria-idUSTRE81D0NX20120214 Iraqi fighters, arms trickle into Syria as violence grows,] By Khalid al-Taie, ''Reuthers'', Feb 14, 2012.</ref> Since the start of the war over 400,000 people have been killed.<ref>https://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/17/middleeast/syria-civil-war/</ref>

Under the Obama and Clinton Doctrines,<ref>https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/04/the-obama-doctrine/471525/</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/DQN3CmX_wbo</ref> the [[Islamic State]] sought to rule a caliphate in Syria after the Assad regime was defeated.  Iran and Russia have made it clear that Assad is going nowhere. Huge stockpiles of chemical weapons and, like [[Libya]], elements of the [[Al Qaeda]] terrorist group pose regional threats in the post-Assad era.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/16/us-intelligence-officials-tie-al-qaeda-iraq-to-syrian-bombings/</ref> The [[Christians in Syria]] are being slaughtered in the thousands after losing the protection and tolerance they have enjoyed under Assad and the Ba'athists.<ref>http://www.worldwatchlist.us/world-watch-list-countries/syria/</ref>

Under the Obama and Clinton Doctrines,<ref>https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/04/the-obama-doctrine/471525/</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/DQN3CmX_wbo</ref> the [[Islamic State]] sought to rule a caliphate in Syria after the Assad regime was defeated.  Iran and Russia have made it clear that Assad is going nowhere. Huge stockpiles of chemical weapons and, like [[Libya]], elements of the [[Al Qaeda]] terrorist group pose regional threats in the post-Assad era.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/16/us-intelligence-officials-tie-al-qaeda-iraq-to-syrian-bombings/</ref> The [[Christians in Syria]] have also been slaughtered in the thousands after losing For the nature of dictatorship they lived secured. But never allowed to criticized the regime.<ref>[https://www.hudson.org/human-rights/bitter-split-among-syria-s-christians-over-loyalty-to-assad Bitter Split Among Syria's Christians Over Loyalty to Assad], The ''Hudson Institute,'' 18, 2018</ref>While all sides of the Syrian civil war claim to be the true protector of Syrian Christians, the religious minority feels increasingly unsafe.<ref>Ammar Hamou, Will Christou

22 December 2019, [https://syriadirect.org/syrian-christians-exploited-or-protected-minority/ Syrian Christians: Exploited or protected minority?] Syria Direct, 22 December 2019.</ref> "The plight of Syria’s Christians stems from the fact that, while they have been used for show, they are actually marginalized by the regime and maligned by the opposition."<ref>[https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/syrias-christians-personal-story-stolen-legacy Syria’s Christians: A Personal Story of a Stolen Legacy], ''Washington Institute'', Jun 1, 2017</ref>

==Background==

==Background==