5 Surprising cultural facts about Syria

News reports suggest the United States respond to last week chemical weapons attacks in Syria with targeted military strikes.

But despite the impending US involvement and the growing crisis in the region, most Americans know relatively little about the country or its history. There are five cultural facts about Syria by its old cities of the current conflict.

1 The Syrians

About 23 million people live in Syria, and the majority of people, 74 percent are Sunni Muslims. Another 12 percent of the population consists of Alawites, a sect of Shia Muslims. In spite of being, the Alawites in the Government a minority, have dominated for decades; President Bashar al-Assad is an Alawite. About 10 percent of the population is Christian, and a further small proportion comprises several monotheistic religions a mystical religious sect with elements Druze, common. (Photos: amazing ruins of the ancient world)

While most people in Syria speak Arabic, about 9 percent of the population speak-especially in the Northeast-Kurdish.

2. Ancient history

Syria has been a cradle of civilization for at least 10,000 years. It was home to the ancient majestic city of Ebla, which flourished from 1800 B.c. to 1650 B.c. a huge treasure trove of 20,000 cuneiform tablets, excavated in the City provided an unprecedented insight into everyday life in Mesopotamia at the time. Since then, it is part of the great empires of history: to different times, Egyptians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Persians, Macedonians and Romans ruled the region.

3 Notable places

The largest cities of the country-Aleppo, in the North West and Damascus in the South West-are really old. Damascus was first mentioned in an Egyptian document from the 1500 v. CHR.-carbon dating of archaeological sites in the vicinity of Tell Ramad, just outside of Damascus, suggests this site is already 6300 BC settled

Aleppo is possibly one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in the world: there are signs of human inhabitance in the area from about 6000 BC, and because the city along the Silk Road was, you saw lively trading for centuries. (Photos: survival of an ancient civilization in Syria)

4. Modern history

For nearly four centuries, Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire. Together with what is now Lebanon Syria came under French control, broke the Ottoman Empire in 1918, and became an independent State in 1946. Because the area was once a territory that Syria has tried traditional influence over the Lebanon and from 1976 to 2005, Syrian troops occupied parts of Lebanon, allegedly to Lebanon from external threats to protect. (Syrian presence in the country removed successfully demonstrations in the Lebanon after the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri.)

Hafez al-Assad, father of the current President, was in power from 1971 until his death in 2000. The elder Assad violently crushed dissent and killed thousands of people in a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood in 1982. The current President Assad assumed his position after the death of his father.

Obama, seeking Congress approval for Syria strike

President Obama said the United States was ready and "take military action against Syrian targets", but said that he carry out Congressional authorization, attack on Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime would seek.

In a press conference that more than 1,400 people say, including 426 children killed rose garden Saturday afternoon Obama the importance of retaliating against what a chemical attack by Assad's regime was American intelligence experts, outlined.

"This attack is an attack on human dignity," said Obama with Vice President Biden is on his side. "It is also a serious threat to our national security."

Obama told Congressional leaders schedule a debate and vote at the meeting with session have agreed to. It is planned, from its summer recess Sept. 9 return. He urged the members politics aside and support for a strike vote.

"Some things are more important than partisan differences or the politics of the moment", he said. "Today I am please Congress to send a message to the world that we are United as a nation."

President's remarks came hours after UN experts finished collecting samples from last week alleged chemical weapons strike outside Damascus. The inspectors had the country bound for the Netherlands leave.

The UN experts worked, to the apparent chemical weapons attack on 21 Aug. confirm close to Damascus which US intelligence reports say left 1,429 dead, including 426 children. Now, the inspectors want samples from soil to test blood and urine of victims.

Also a parliamentary vote in the UK followed Obama's statements on Thursday, which broke with his longtime US allies when deciding against military action in Syria.

Obama asks Congress show more urgency in their voices say that the United States has a moral obligation, indicating that "we do what we say" and "makes it quite makes and not the other way around."