COMMUNIST GAINS IN SYRIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01443R000300190014-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 17, 1998
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: January 4, 1955
• Content Type: BRIEF

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NSC BRIEFING
COMMUNIST GAINS IN SYRIA
25X1 C8b
A.
4 January 1955
I. Past year in Syria has seen significant Communist gains,
although threat of forceful takeover is remote..
Communists have exploited political instability
following overthrow of Dictator Shishakli a year ago
(he reported skirt-chasing in Paris).
call Syria"most worrisome
spot in confused Middle East."
II. They number some 10,000 out of 3 1/2 million population--
are infiltrating government, army, press and labor. Are
on way to acquiring position of public respectability
unique for an Arab state.
A. Moscow-trained party leader, Khalid Bakdash (who
considered ablest Arab Communist) has won seat in
parliament, is on foreign affairs committee,
B. Minister of Justice--Ali Buzo--is friend of Bakdash.
C. Boss of army's cultural affairs program--a Communist?
is feeding propaganda to army.
D. Among nine directors of major labor federation are
2 Communists, 1 sympathizer,
E. One-third of Syrian political press (total 38 dailies
and weeklies) reportedly subsidized by Communists;
another third follows line.
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III. Communists collaborating with extremists of left and
right, also with opportunistic independents. Aim:
downfall of Premier Khouri's ineffectual coalition
government.
A. 80-year-old Khouri wants to leave office by
March '55 at latest.
1. Center parties impotent to produce better government.
2. Thus, next regime could well be pro-leftist, with
Communists able exercise increased influence.
B. Alternate possibility is rightist military coup, as
in recent past--though army badly split.
1. Such development probably only major block to
present trend,
2. However, military dictatorship presents own
host of problems.
IV. Recent report of Soviet intent to stimulate Kurdish
nationalism in Syria and Iraq appear unrelated to Commu-
nist planning in Syria.
A. Party leader Bakdash is Kurd himself, but plays down
fact to enhance his appeal to nationalistic Syrians.
B. Syrian Kurds less easily stirred than fellow tribes-
men on Iraq-Iran-Turkey border.
C. Use of Kurds more probably aimed at making trouble
for "Northern Tier" pair--Iran, Turkey.
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