[quote=Pepperm1nts]
Should have gone with Iran and tried to recreate the Persian Empire.
[/quote]

Me and Iran have issues. Plus I'd probably get cock blocked at Thermopylae by a renewed Sparta. 

Besides, Syria has strong links to Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn, and Lord knows I love me a bit of Ṣalāḥ.

EDIT: Thinking about it, at the risk of civil war, I could lean towards Israel. Westernise to the max. Having read more and more Syrian history, civil war seems inevitable no matter what I do. Like, as messed up as it sounds, military dictatorships are the only thing that kept the country stable for any period of time. Meh. 

Like, it's not even the rival factions of Islam are are causing the beef as in Iraq. It's tribal too. Maybe a "wise" dictator, who only holds power so he can transform the country until a time it is ready for democracy... then again I'm fairly sure that's how all permanent dictatorships start.