Image of the week: Akram al-Hourani

Akram al-Hourani was a Syrian statesman from Hama. A radical for his era of politics (1945-1970), Hourani was responsible for several coups d’état in postwar Damascus. Not so much as honoring him, this post calls attention to a fascinating, multi-faceted character in Syrian history, which is all too often misleadingly written as the “inevitable” takeover by Alawites. Hourani’s story adds nuance to Syria’s story. (Submission by Drew H. Kinney)