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Belgian Amiga Club - ADF Collection
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BS1 part 27.zip
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BS1 part 27
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WorldAtlas2_d2.adf
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TEXTA
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145
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1990-04-02
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Originally the center of the Seleucid empire, Syria later became
part of the Roman and Arab empires. Ottoman rule was maintained
for 400 years until the end of World War I. The state of Syria
was established in 1920 and divided into Syria and Greater
Lebanon. Both were administered by the French from 1920 to 1941.
On September 16, 1941 a republic was proclaimed and independence
became effective on January 1, 1944. Syria joined other Arab
states in the 1948 war against Israel. Syria, along with Egypt
in 1958 formed the United Arab Republic, but seceded on September
30, 1961. In June 1967, Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria.
Again in 1973, Syria joined other Arab nations in a war against Israel,
only to be repulsed again. Syria received over $1 billion a year
from the Arab oil producing states for military
expenses mostly supplied by the Soviets. In 1976 30,000 Syrian
troops entered Lebanon in the framework of an Arab peace mission.
In 1982, Israel destroyed 17 Syrian
antiaircraft missile batteries in the Bekka Valley. On June 9,
twenty-five Syrian planes were downed in air battles with the
Israeli air force. Syria has taken a radical stance in Middle
Eastern politics, supporting Iran and Libya while maintaining
close ties to the Soviets. Syria's role in promoting
international terrorism led to Britain breaking diplomatic
relations and several other European nations implementing
sanctions in 1986. In March 1989, the Lebanese Christian commander
general Aoun, backed by the Iraqi and French governments declared a war
of liberation against the Syrians in Lebanon. @