Ali Mamluk, again

Oh, and I talked to the Western correspondent in the region who does not want to be identified about the story (in the Daily Telegraph--see below) regarding Iranian dominance in Syria.  He agreed that if anything Syrian regime is angry at the lack of sufficient support from the Iranian regime and not from hegemony by Iranian regime. Many henchmen of the Syrian regime feel that Iran should do more to prop up the regime, and the recent trip by Syrian Minister of Defense to Iran was along those lines.  Also, don't underestimate the religious animosities between Iranian Shi`ites (who views Alawites as heretics who need to be converted to Shi`ite twelvers) and Alawites (who fear the Iranians are going to veil their women).