SYRIA

Syria's central position in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East has made it a crossroads between the Mediterranean Sea and the Asian heartland. Throughout its history—which is almost as long as recorded history itself—Syria has been ruled by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Ottomans, and French. In the twentieth century, this central position has brought Syria into conflict with the modern countries that border it. Much of the conflict and confrontation that has involved Syria is related to Israel. The creation of Israel in 1948 aroused the opposition of most Arab countries. Syria made a major commitment to oppose Israel and fight for the rights of the Palestinian people. Syria has viewed Israel as an expansionist country that seeks to keep the Arab nations weak and divided. The goal of achieving "strategic parity" with Israel has dominated Syrian military and political thinking. Syria has built up a large and powerful military that it believes is needed to pressure Israel. A second goal that has guided Syria is its ambition to restore a Greater Syria and be the leading Arab power in the region.

Syria, located in the Middle East, is bordered to the north by Turkey, to the east by Iraq, to the south by Jordan, to the southwest by Israel, and to the west by Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea. It is 71,498 square miles in size, and its capital is Damascus. Hafiz al-Asad, who became prime minister in 1970, assumed virtually dictatorial powers as president in 1971, and governed the country until his death in June, 2000, was the dominant figure in recent Syrian history. He used his power to consolidate his regime, establish stability, expand Syria's Arab leadership role, and lead the confrontation with Israel.

Asad's son, Bashar al-Asad, was named president by the country's People's Assembly in July, 2000. The younger Asad began taking steps toward democratization of his country, but some political controls were reimposed in 2001.

Creation of Modern Syria

The area traditionally known as Greater Syria included present-