SYRIA – STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND MILITARY CAPABILITIES
SYRIA – STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND MILITARY CAPABILITIES

Summary/Abstract: Syria is a quite important regional actor and it often can be a quite irritant presence for its neighbors. Syrian state has a significant military force, which allows it to maintain its influence in the area. This article aims to point out, however, some weaknesses taking into account that military modernization is done slowly because this state has an army which is much larger than the army it can support effectively. Syria has come in limelight after 2003, because it seems that it owns weapons of mass destruction which they can use in an eventual conflict. In addition to conventional military forces, Syria has paramilitary forces to help maintain the internal control and pressure on Lebanon. Syrian political regime leaned on the military during time in order to maintain the integrity of state and international order. If at the end of the ‘80 a change in the foreign policy of this state could be seen, a change that permitted Syria to come closer to the U.S. now a totally opposite direction can be seen. This observation can be sustained by the fact that Bashar’s regime is based on paramilitary forces to maintain domestic order and, in addition, according to Israeli reports Syria supports insurgent groups. The continuous support that Syria gives to the terrorist groups and the fact that it still relies on the paramilitary forces for maintaining internal control support the question if Syria is evolving towards a militarized state.

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