That's like saying Iraq was a tolerant paradise in the 1970s. Sure, but at the expense of a lot of repression, and when the repressive government inevitably falls or the people have enough the results aren't pretty.
I do not know how Iraq was in 1970, but Syrian government survived several elections, 6 years of civil war and international sanctions. I guess this 'represive murdering regime' is better than 'islamist paradise' terrorists are pushing.