(20.12.2003) Since the 11 September 2001 attacks, however, Washington has found Syria to be a useful partner in combating Osama Bin Laden‘s al-Qaeda.

Damascus shares some intelligence with the CIA and is known to have passed on the results of at least one interrogation, that of Mohammed Haydar Zammar, a man accused of having links with al-Qaeda.

If it ever came to conflict in the future, Syria‘s armed forces would be no match for those of either Israel or the Pentagon.