Another country, which is also clearly a target of Iranian proselytizing, is Syria. According to some recent reports, Iran gives $10,000 to each Syrian family that converts to Shiism. Noted Middle East expert Amir Taheri recently acknowledged what he calls the “Iranization” of Syria.
For instance, Syria has lifted the ban on Shiite proselytization and therefore allowed hundreds of Iranian mullahs to convert Syrian Sunnis, including huge numbers of Alawites, President Bashar Assad’s own sect. Iran has also set up 11 centers of Khomeinist indoctrination in cities other than Damascus and, according to Taheri, as of last September, 17,000 Syrians had enrolled to follow classes there. Last but not least Taheri noticed the number of men and women in the streets conforming to the Khomeinist “look.”
I find it amazing that our best allies are called poodles for siding with us. But when Iran is getting Syria to roll over, fetch, and play dead, Syria is never denigrated by such language.
When a Shia-minority government like Syria's Alawite government allows Iran to convert the majority Sunnis to Iran's brand of Shia Islam, you'd think the Sunni Arab world would work up a little fear and loathing about Iran colonizing an Arab nation.
But no. Syria has become West Iran and the Arab world would rather blather on about America's "illegal occupation" of Iraq.
