ABSTRACT
The Truman administration viewed Syria in terms of its strategic location in the heart of the Middle East "athwart oil pipelines and air routes; its possible role in a crisis as an area of ingress from the Eastern Mediterranean; and the vigorous activity of its government and people in the politics and cultural affairs of the Arab world." The issue or military aid to Syria also presented the Truman administration with a variety of problems, although the prospects for an agreement being reached in this sphere were much better since this was the type of assistance in which the Syrians were primarily interested. The Israeli government, along with its numerous supporters in Congress, lobbied extremely hard against American arms transfers to the Arab states, especially those residing on its border. The United States was forced by its commitment to Israel to ask for certain guarantees from Arab countries that military aid would only be used for defensive purposes.
