Re: Syria says it accepts Russian chemical arms proposal to turn over its WMDs to UN
It became a sectarian conflict only later. It started as merely a movement for democracy. And Assad being a dictator, crushed it like any other dictator from Saudi, Jordan, Bahrain or UAE.
But Assad crushed the opposition for being the opposition. He did not do it because of them being Sunni. Even many Alawites supported the movement for democracy. So it was not sectarian conflict.
But later the Gulf Arabs started looking at it from sectarian angle and started sending arms and ammunition to opposition. Their weapons were going more towards the most extremist khawarij who were pouring in from around the world. This is how it became a sectarian conflict. These khawarij, most of whom are not even Sunnis, started threatening massacre of common non-Sunnis for Assad’s crimes. And they proved it too. There are many youtube videos on that. They even demolished the tomb of a well known Companion of Prophet, while threatening to do the same to the tomb of Prophet’s granddaughter who is revered by Shias.
So now why would it not become sectarian conflict now?
Now Sunnis are on one side and everyone else on another. This includes not just Shias but also Alawites, Christians and Kurds.
The reason why Hezbollah and Iran take Assad’s side is obvious. Their worst enemy is Israel, not Sunnis. And Assad going away means end of Hezbollah and Iran resistance to Israel.