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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he expects Syrian troops might
pull out of Lebanon in a few months. In the past Assad suggested
that a total Syrian troop withdrawal needed to be linked to peace with
Israel and expressed fear that Washington might use military action
against his country. After last month's assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, which sparked unrest that brought down the
Syrian-backed government, Syria found itself under mounting global
pressure. In an uncommon show of solidarity, U.S. Secretary of
State Rice and French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier issued a
joint statement, demanding that Syria withdraw its security and
intelligence forces from Lebanon. According to U.S. government
officials, the Syrian government exercises control over Lebanon's
government through networks run by Syrian military intelligence.
In addition to stating that Syria harbors and actively supports
terrorist groups, the United States recently labeled Syria a
"barrier" to Middle East peace and accused Damascus of
destabilizing the peace process in Iraq by assisting anti-U.S.
insurgents, allegations which Syria unequivocally denies.
From CIAO's database:
The Syria Accountability Act Taking the Wrong Road to Damascus
Terror from Damascus, Part I: The Palestinian Terrorist Presence in Syria
The Road to Damascus
Understanding Nepal Maoists’ Demands: Revisiting Events of 1990
Syria and the Questions of WMD
Syria Under Bashar (II): Domestic Policy Challenges
Outside Links*:
A Country Study: Syria
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/sytoc.html
The Syrian Arab Republic Embassy
http://www.syrianembassy.us/
Syria accuses Israel of killing Al Hariri
http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=6991
Syria, at UN, Says Israel Behind U.S. War on Iraq
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0927-04.htm
* Outside links are not maintained. For broken outside links, CIAO recommends the Way Back Machine [http://www.archive.org/].
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