Like other colonial powers, the French used a type of "divide and conquer" strategy in Syria. In their case, they elevated the minority Alawites to important positions over the majority Sunnis.

http://origins.osu.edu/article/alawites-and-fate-syria

The French treated the Alawites relatively well and helped them get into high positions in the army. This led to the army being much more Alawite than the population post-independence. And in a region with lots of military coups...