US-Syrian Relations
 All is not quite well in US-Syrian relations. First of all, "while not part of President Bush’s ’axis of evil,’ Syria has been on the U.S. list of sponsors of terrorism since the list’s 1979 inception." Syria landed on that list because it has provided safe refuge, financing, and weapons to a number of organizations considered to be terrorist groups by the US Department of State, including Hizbollah, Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Palestine Islamic Jihad. Further, Syria is accused of allowing insurgents to cross its border into war-torn Iraq, to fight against the US coalition. This has become such a serious problem that on Feb. 15, 2007, Iraq temporarily closed its border with Syria. The purpose was to reduce violence by changing border checkpoint procedures.
A second problem for US-Syria relations revolves around Lebanon. Syrian troops remained in Lebanon for almost three decades, withdrawing only after being forced to bow to the pressures of the popular Lebanese Cedar Revolution in April of 2005. As Congressman Gary Ackerman had stated before the withdrawal, "Syria is also behaving in a grossly irresponsible fashion in Lebanon, a country it has occupied since 1976 contrary to international law, the will of the Lebanese people, and the Taif accords, which Syria pledged to honor."
Although Syria has withdrawn from Lebanon, it still exerts influence in that country. On Nov. 21, 2006, Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, who was anti-Syrian, was shot and killed by an unknown gunman. This assassination, which occurred only hours after Syria announced restoration of diplomatic relations with Iraq after 25 years, further destabilized Lebanon. Following this, in December 2006, the Hezbollah-led opposition and other pro-Syrian parties have been holding huge demonstrations in Beirut, trying to pressure Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora to resign. The pro-Syrian forces oppose Saniora because his U.S-backed government refuses to give veto power to pro-Hezbollah factions in the cabinet. All of these actions noted have had a tremendous destabilizing effect in Lebanon.
Yet another difficulty in U.S.–Syrian relations results from Syria’s tendency to violate human rights, which runs counter to stated U.S. policy. Assad’s handling of the Muslim Brotherhood uprising in Hamah is just the tip of the iceberg; dissent is simply not permitted in Syria, and the Baathist security apparatus enforces obedience to the authoritarian regime. Finally, Syria stands as an enemy to Israel, a strategic US ally. So far, Syrian public relations experts have not made a convincing case for the US to change its policy toward Syria.
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