Date: June 6, 2006 Creator: Prados, Alfred B. Description: The
country of Syria is a prominent player in the Middle East scene,
due to a number of border disputes with the region, as well as
problems of resource allocation, and political rivalries have
caused frequent tensions between Syria and its neighbors. An
array of bilateral issues continue to affect relations between
the United States and Syria: the course of Arab-Israeli talks;
questions of arms proliferation; Syrian connections with
terrorist activity; Syria's role in Lebanon; and Syria's
opposition to the U.S. occupation in Iraq. This report explores
these issues, as well as the assassination of former Lebanese
Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri--who had been a vocal Syrian critic
--and the Syria Accountability Act, which President Bush signed
on December 12, 2003, and which imposes sanctions upon Syria
unless it halts support for terrorism. Contributing Partner: UNT
Libraries Government Documents Department