1/ Both Countries are part of a larger ethnic group/states:
Syria is Part of group of 22 Arab States.
Azerbaijan is part of 6 Turkic States.
2/ Both declare "Pan" ideology, aspire the role of leader, if not at least vice leader:
Syria is a champion of Pan-Arabic mouvement, as aspires to catch traditional locomotive Egypt.
Azerbaijan is a champion of Panturkism, and since the days of Musavat, aspires to be turker than the turks...
3/ Both countries are governed by ethnic minorities, who do their best to hide their specific ethnicity by championing more than the majority the national 'cause', while in fact, doing their best to hold on power, forgetting about the loudly stated ambitions:
- Syria is governed by the Alawite sect, a branch of Shiite rite of Islam. (In the ME, where ethnicities are melt potted, religion is the 'ethnicity'...)
- Azerbaijan is governed by a family of Kurdish extraction. (Kurdish being a negative stereotype in turkic standards, they do use 'Nakhitchevani' as denomination, but one must understand Kurdish in that word, in Azerbaijani context, since most muslims of that old armenian province were bringed in by Shah Abbas of Iran efter expelling Armenians in XVIII-XIX cent, and the Kurdish origin of the very Aliyev family is not a secret).
4/ Both countries have a dictatorial system, based on Cult of personality of the 'wise father', replaced by the "ill-shiny", mediocre and authority lacking son at his death.
-Bashar replaced Hafez the wise, in place of a well prepared and authoritarian brother, eliminated by 'fake' car accident, by a neighbor not so well intentioned. Thus he is obliged to rely heavily on his entourage, an was unable to reform, terrorized by the spectre of change..
- Ilham was a notorious boy-lover, gambler, so ill famed, that virtually no family accepted to give a girl, even if he was the son of the so famous Heidar. The old pal had to compromise, and accept the alliance of the Pashayev family of Baku (the biggest mafia type Corleone) since soviet old days. As the bed habits of Ilham are very well known, since his young years, he has no moral authority on his entourage, in a very 'macho' azari society, and as a matter of fact, is obliged to deal between the interests of his kurdish (aka-nakhitchevanski) clan, and the hegemonic mafia of the Baku Pashayev's.... The fact that his wife is the real dictator, sleeps with any gigolo, or even a strong Belarussian like Lukashenka, is only shaking the authority of Ilham, and is publicized intentionally by the lady.
5/ Both regimes, being 'intruders', are forced to rely on other fellow minorities, to crush the majority:
- Bashar relies on the Kurds, Maronites, other christian minorities, the Cherkez and the Druzes.
- Ilham relies essentially on the 'Eraz' that is mainly Sunni turks of Armenia, hiding behind their sunni rite behind the 'Eraz' symbol in a mainly shia country, Lezkins, Talysh, etc....
6/ The ethnic minorities have a good day and 'carte Blanche', in sharing the common wealth , of course after the 'dominant minority', by helping plunder the national wealth, with one condition: let their specific minority rights well smashed. This being used as proof of 'loyalty' of the leader, before the majority.
- In Syria, Alawites have all the golden shares in every profitable sector, and the remaining minorities are mainly the middle class, but their minority groups have no right to exist as such.... Kurds are smashed as a group from time to time, Christians do not exist, Druzes....
- In Azerbaijan, while Lezkinshs and Talys are all well higher class than Turks, their very minority rights are smashed...
7/ Both countries have smaller arch-rivals, declared as national enemy, and both have lost the wars against that same 'common' enemy. All the official speeches are directed towards that 'super' enemy, while in fact, the regimes have happy time keeping the status quos...
- Israel for Syria.
- Armenia for Azerbaijan.
8/ Both countries spent huge chunks of national wealth in arms, but surprisingly end always outgunned by the enemy.
9/ Both armies are organised as mainly a police force, to keep control on any revolt of the majority.... (see the 'famous' marauder, etc... wheeled armor, useless against Artsakh, but very useful in police operations.)
10/ Both are middle class oil/gas producers, and aspire to be energetic hubs.
- Syria wants to export Irak's and Saudia's oil via Banias, Tartus...
- Azerbaijan aspires the same regarding Kazakh and Turkmen oil and gas...
11/ Both countries have no free press what so ever.
12/ Both regimes literally plunder the energy revenues.
13/ Both ruling clans have monopolistic sectors in hand.....
etc, etc.....
Syria is Part of group of 22 Arab States.
Azerbaijan is part of 6 Turkic States.
2/ Both declare "Pan" ideology, aspire the role of leader, if not at least vice leader:
Syria is a champion of Pan-Arabic mouvement, as aspires to catch traditional locomotive Egypt.
Azerbaijan is a champion of Panturkism, and since the days of Musavat, aspires to be turker than the turks...
3/ Both countries are governed by ethnic minorities, who do their best to hide their specific ethnicity by championing more than the majority the national 'cause', while in fact, doing their best to hold on power, forgetting about the loudly stated ambitions:
- Syria is governed by the Alawite sect, a branch of Shiite rite of Islam. (In the ME, where ethnicities are melt potted, religion is the 'ethnicity'...)
- Azerbaijan is governed by a family of Kurdish extraction. (Kurdish being a negative stereotype in turkic standards, they do use 'Nakhitchevani' as denomination, but one must understand Kurdish in that word, in Azerbaijani context, since most muslims of that old armenian province were bringed in by Shah Abbas of Iran efter expelling Armenians in XVIII-XIX cent, and the Kurdish origin of the very Aliyev family is not a secret).
4/ Both countries have a dictatorial system, based on Cult of personality of the 'wise father', replaced by the "ill-shiny", mediocre and authority lacking son at his death.
-Bashar replaced Hafez the wise, in place of a well prepared and authoritarian brother, eliminated by 'fake' car accident, by a neighbor not so well intentioned. Thus he is obliged to rely heavily on his entourage, an was unable to reform, terrorized by the spectre of change..
- Ilham was a notorious boy-lover, gambler, so ill famed, that virtually no family accepted to give a girl, even if he was the son of the so famous Heidar. The old pal had to compromise, and accept the alliance of the Pashayev family of Baku (the biggest mafia type Corleone) since soviet old days. As the bed habits of Ilham are very well known, since his young years, he has no moral authority on his entourage, in a very 'macho' azari society, and as a matter of fact, is obliged to deal between the interests of his kurdish (aka-nakhitchevanski) clan, and the hegemonic mafia of the Baku Pashayev's.... The fact that his wife is the real dictator, sleeps with any gigolo, or even a strong Belarussian like Lukashenka, is only shaking the authority of Ilham, and is publicized intentionally by the lady.
5/ Both regimes, being 'intruders', are forced to rely on other fellow minorities, to crush the majority:
- Bashar relies on the Kurds, Maronites, other christian minorities, the Cherkez and the Druzes.
- Ilham relies essentially on the 'Eraz' that is mainly Sunni turks of Armenia, hiding behind their sunni rite behind the 'Eraz' symbol in a mainly shia country, Lezkins, Talysh, etc....
6/ The ethnic minorities have a good day and 'carte Blanche', in sharing the common wealth , of course after the 'dominant minority', by helping plunder the national wealth, with one condition: let their specific minority rights well smashed. This being used as proof of 'loyalty' of the leader, before the majority.
- In Syria, Alawites have all the golden shares in every profitable sector, and the remaining minorities are mainly the middle class, but their minority groups have no right to exist as such.... Kurds are smashed as a group from time to time, Christians do not exist, Druzes....
- In Azerbaijan, while Lezkinshs and Talys are all well higher class than Turks, their very minority rights are smashed...
7/ Both countries have smaller arch-rivals, declared as national enemy, and both have lost the wars against that same 'common' enemy. All the official speeches are directed towards that 'super' enemy, while in fact, the regimes have happy time keeping the status quos...
- Israel for Syria.
- Armenia for Azerbaijan.
8/ Both countries spent huge chunks of national wealth in arms, but surprisingly end always outgunned by the enemy.
9/ Both armies are organised as mainly a police force, to keep control on any revolt of the majority.... (see the 'famous' marauder, etc... wheeled armor, useless against Artsakh, but very useful in police operations.)
10/ Both are middle class oil/gas producers, and aspire to be energetic hubs.
- Syria wants to export Irak's and Saudia's oil via Banias, Tartus...
- Azerbaijan aspires the same regarding Kazakh and Turkmen oil and gas...
11/ Both countries have no free press what so ever.
12/ Both regimes literally plunder the energy revenues.
13/ Both ruling clans have monopolistic sectors in hand.....
etc, etc.....
Comment