The vast majority of the population includes 74% Muslims (Fisher). Various Christian denominations make up 10%, and the remaining 16% are other Muslims, such as Alawites, Ismailis, Shiites, and Druze (Fisher). The current government in power since 1970 is the Assad regime, which follows the Alawite religion. The conflict in Syria is the result of numerous political and religious disputes between the national government and rebel forces. Two main actors are involved in the Syrian conflict: the national government and the Free Syrian Army. The classification phase of genocide is exemplified here with the “Us versus Them” mentality. The current president, Bashar al-Assad, has been in office since 2000. He succeeded his father, Hafez al-Assad, who led Syria from 1970 until his death in 2000. When Bashar al-Assad took power, he promised reforms and he also admitted criticism. This period of reform is known as the Damascus Spring, but he quickly resorted to the ways of his (Cornish) father's dictatorship. The al-Assad family belongs to the Alawite minority group, which is similar to “an untouchable becoming a maharajah in India or a Jew becoming a tsar in Russia” (Belisle). Hafez al-Assad maintained control of Syria for so long, influencing divisions in Syrian society to prevent anyone else from gaining enough power to challenge his rule (Fisher). The other party involved is the Free Syrian Army. The FSA, led by Colonel Riad al-Asaad, was formed in August 2011 and is made up of defected Syrian army members with the aim of overthrowing the al-Assad (Fisher) regime. The “Us versus Them” classification is the root of religious, ethnic and political conflicts. Among the various theories surrounding the conflicts in Syria, the “Us versus Them” mentality is a significant factor. The government justifies their shameful actions by saying that they were simply trying to maintain order and control in the country. They say that as a government they had the right to act as they deemed necessary. On the other hand, the Free Syrian Army argues that due to the way citizens are treated, they have justified reasons to rebel and fight back. The conflicts occurring in the ever-troubled Middle East have many solutions, none of which are easily achieved or easily executed. The dictatorial regime of the Assad family has existed for over 40 years and is probably in decline. The economic and social reforms promised by Bashar al-Assad have largely contributed to the unrest in Syria. Furthermore, the majority of Syrian citizens, who are Sunni Arabs, are not represented and treated equally by the government, which is a contributing factor to the civil war..