Before The British Mandate There Was The Vilayet Of Syria

 The Vilayet of Syria was no Garden of Eden but life was seriously better than what is now found in Israel, The West Bank and The Gaza Strip. Let's pray that the people of Vilayet Syria will find a way out of their troubles.  

I earned a Bachelor of General Studies from Simon Fraser University in Canada. I also attended The Vancouver School of Theology as well as the Silliman University Divinity School. For the life of me I can't recall being taught much about the Ottoman Empire. Considering that it was a massive empire that lasted for 600 years that's pretty sad.

For this post all that is important is that in the late 1800's the Ottoman Empire created the Vilayet of Syria. A vilayet that included a diversity of ethnicity and religions, was reasonably law abiding and prosperous. 

With the rise of Zionism and the British Empire's need of an ally in the Middle East the prosperity and the peace of the Ottoman Empire rule would devolve into the ongoing horrors' we now find in the Middle East. 

One of the reasons Britain was in need of allies in the Middle East was that it was updating the Royal Navy to run on oil rather than coal. Britain had lots of coal but no oil. The needs of the Empire would come first and if it meant replacing Palestinians with Jews, so be it. 

What brings me hope for a new and prosperous Vilayet Of Syria is that Ireland, that has also historically suffered under an inept and bloody occupation, found a way to end 'The Troubles'.   

The Green Man