The war in Syria is moving south, toward Jerusalem, and with an international coalition of stunning strength. That coalition includes the the first-ever Shiite army which is also a foreign legion. Expected to number 50-70,000, it is shifting the focus of soldiers from political and tribal allegiances to a single religious identity.

A coalition of Syrian, Iranian and Hezbollah forces has assembled only 5 miles (8 km) from Israel's northern border. Israel is not its immediate objective, but it is very much on the minds of Assad and his military partners.