SYRIA THROWING AWAY THE SCRIPT SYRIAN ARMY REVOLTS USUALLY RESEMBLE THE ANCIENT 
BATTLES OF CHINESE WARLORDS : THERE IS A HEAD COUNT OF 
MEN AND MATERIAL IN THE OPPOSING ARMIES AND THE LARGER WINS 
A BLOODLESS VICTORY . THE LOSERS ARE THEN JAILED OR EXILED 
TO WELLPAYING DIPLOMATIC POSTS ABROAD . NOT SO LAST WEEK, WHEN 
SYRIA EXPERIENCED ITS TWELFTH ATTEMPTED COUP D'ETAT IN 14 YEARS AND 
THE ONLY ONE TO THROW AWAY THE SCRIPT . LED BY 
EX-COLONEL JASSEM ALWAN, WHO HAD ALREADY STAGED AN UNSUCCESSFUL COUP LAST 
YEAR, A BAND OF ARMY OFFICERS AND CIVILIANS LAUNCHED A MORNING 
ATTACK IN DAMASCUS ON THE RADIO STATION AND THE DEFENSE MINISTRY 
. DIPLOMATS IN BRITAIN'S NEW GREEN AND YELLOW EMBASSY GOT OFF 
A CABLE HOME : " HEAVY FIGHTING IN THE HEART OF 
THE CITY . " THE GUNFIRE LASTED FOR FOUR HOURS, AND 
THREE SYRIAN MIG FIGHTER PLANES SERVING EITHER THE GOVERNMENT, THE REBELS, 
OR THEIR OWN WHIM KNOCKED OUT THE RADIO TRANSMITTER . WHEN 
THE RADIO LIMPED BACK ON THE AIR, IT WAS STILL IN 
GOVERNMENT HANDS . THE STRONGMAN OF SYRIA'S RULING BAATH (RENAISSANCE) PARTY, 
GENERAL MOHAMMED HAFEZ, WHO IS BOTH DEFENSE MINISTER AND ARMY CHIEF 
OF STAFF, BROADCAST THAT THE EFFORT " TO DISTURB THE PEACE 
" HAD BEEN CRUSHED . NEXT DAY HE ANNOUNCED THE BREAK 
IN THE RULES OF SYRIAN-STYLE COUPS : EIGHT REBEL MILITARY MEN 
AND TWELVE CIVILIANS HAD BEEN EXECUTED . HAFEZ BLAMED THE REVOLT 
ON SYRIAN SUPPORTERS OF EGYPT'S GAMAL ABDEL NASSER, WHO IS FEUDING 
WITH BAATH-RULED SYRIA OVER CONTROL OF THE PROPOSED NEW ARAB FEDERATION 
BUT MIDEASTERN OBSERVERS COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY NASSERITES WOULD BEGIN A 
REVOLT ON THE VERY DAY THAT SYRIA'S PRESIDENT LOUAI ATASSI WAS 
FLYING TO CAIRO TO MAKE CONCESSIONS TO NASSER . EVEN BAATH 
PARTY NEWSPAPERS CONCEDED THAT SYRIA WAS AT LAST READY TO ACCEPT 
NASSER'S DEMAND FOR A " NATIONAL FRONT " FEDERATION IN WHICH 
HIS SUPPORTERS WOULD HAVE EQUAL STRENGTH WITH BAATH . AFTER A 
TEN-HOUR CONFERENCE WITH NASSER, PRESIDENT ATASSI FLEW HOME AND RUSHED TO 
THE MILITARY HOSPITAL TO KISS THE SOLDIERS WOUNDED IN DEFENDING HIS 
REGIME . AT WEEK'S END DAMASCUS RADIO WAS STILL MAKING BRIEF, 
SHRILL BROADCASTS INSISTING THAT THE REVOLT WAS CRUSHED, BU THE COUNTRY 
REMAINED BUTTONED UP AGAINST THE OUTSIDE WORLD, WITH BORDERS, AIRPORTS AND 
HARBORS SEALED . 