53088. POLITICAL PARTIES IN SYRIA: 1917-1973. Well-done examination of the politics of faction and coup d'etat, giving a full description of political "parties" and events in Syria, how military has come to dominate political life. An update to examine how and why Asad has set longevity record by remaining top gun for 7 whole years would make this an excellent paper. 13 pages, 14 footnotes, 9 bibliographic sources.