Syrian Ambassador to Washington Imad Mustafa has ruled out a military confrontation with the United States despite extremely tense political relations. "I believe that neither the U.S. administration nor the American people are ready, both mentally and practically, to engage in a new military action against Syria after the invasion of Iraq," Mustafa said hopefully in an interview with the Saudi daily al-Hayat, monitored in Beirut. "Our relations with the United States are extremely tense but I don't think that tension will escalate to the point of military confrontation or invasion of Syria," he said. He rejected U.S. accusations Syria was fueling violence against U.S. forces in Iraq as "ridiculous." "Syria is equally worried and deeply concerned about mounting violence in Iraq," he said. |