The US to Talk to Iran and Syria

If I was asked which word best describes the Bush Administration, I would have to say stubborn. Whether or not you agree with the policies of the Administration, I think no-one would accuse Bush of being inconsistent. He invaded Iraq and has vilified both Syria and Iran, two of Iraq's neighbours, accusing them of meddling in the war and frustrating US effort to subdue the violence in the country. He has also refused to hold talks with either country to explore ways to control the sectarian violence.......until now.

In a diplomatic turnabout, the Bush administration will join an Iraq-sponsored "neighbors meeting" with Iran and Syria, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said

The meeting, which will be scheduled for mid-March, is an Iraqi initiative and they plan to invite Syria, Iran, members of the Arab League as well as Britain, France, Russia, China and the US. A second meeting involving the countries' foreign ministers — which administration officials said Rice would attend — would also be held, perhaps as soon as early April.

"We hope that all governments will seize this opportunity to improve their relations with Iraq and to work for peace and stability in the region," Rice said.

Her announcement was welcomed by Democrats and Republicans alike:

"Today's announcement is a first step, but it is not enough on its own," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. "Our national security requires a robust diplomatic effort in the Middle East, and the Bush administration cannot again settle for mere half measures."

Syria visits Iran

The influence of Iran in the Middle East seems to be growing proportionately to the vilification by the Bush Administration. Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, The Palestinians and now Syria have all made high level diplomatic contacts with Iran. Even though some of these countries have philosophical and religious differences with the Iranians there seems to be a renewed spirit of cooperation amongst them.

The latest visit by the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, the fifth visit in 7 years, was aimed at showing the unity between the two countries amid rumors of a rift. Syria has always been a supporter of Iran and was the only Arab country to support the Iranians in their war with Saddam's Iraq in the 1980's. The two countries, according to reports, also cooperated on supporting Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian Territories. The detente between these two countries is in itself remarkable because they are religious antagonist. Iran is a majority Shiite country while Syria is predominately Sunni. However both Syria and Iran have come under criticism by the US for "not doing enough" to quell the sectarian violence in Iraq, a charge that both countries deny. In fact both Iran and Syria have been the target of US ire for a host of different reasons, which in itself may be the impetus for the spirit of camaraderie between the two.

Bashar al-Assad met Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani on his latest visit to that country. President Ahmadinejad described the visit as "fruitful" and said:
“Current situations in the region, especially in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon and Afghanistan, have doubled the need for co-operation and co-ordination between Iran and Syria, particularly to confront plots by enemies”

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke of the ties between Syria and Iran as being "the oldest and deepest of the countries in the region." and said "the aims of the United States in Iraq have not been realized and there is no sign that they will be realized."

Assad warned that:
The US and Israel were seeking to sow division of the region's different ethnic and religious groups, particularly in Iraq and Lebanon.

"They want to push the peoples and the governments to make use of ethnicities and create divisions in the Islamic world. It is this final card that they are trying to play," Assad declared before leaving Tehran.

"If they succeed in this, they will succeed in all their plans," he said.

Assad's visit comes at a time when Iran is under pressure from the UN to halt it's uranium enrichment program or face further sanctions. Also Iraq closed its borders for three days to both Iran and Syria in an effort to stop the flow of arms into Iraq and quell the sectarian violence that has left Iraq in shambles.