Assad: Syria preparing for a war it does not want

Source: The Daily Star, 18-04-2008
Syria thinks a war with 'Israel' is possible and is preparing for such a conflict but does not want one, Syrian President Bashar Assad said in remarks published Thursday in the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar.
Assad said that war with 'Israel' was still a distinct possibility, although he added that the likelihood of such a conflict breaking out is low under the current circumstances.
Speaking to a group of Arab intellectuals on Wednesday, the Syrian president added that while war was not a preferable option, "if 'Israel' declares war on Lebanon and Syria or if America declares war on Iran," Damascus will be prepared, according to the Al-Akhbar report.
"We must keep American interest in mind," said Assad. "In the last Lebanon war it was evident that 'Israel' wanted to pull out at a specific time, however the American government forced them to continue."
He added that "we know there is someone in the American government who is interested in this war, and we are preparing for it."
Assad's remarks came during a Conference on Pan-Arab Thought Revival and Arab Destiny in Damascus.