Ha’aretz reports today on the latest leaks about the potential for Syrian-Israeli talks, and then hoses down the sparks of hopes with these paragraphs:
Following contacts between Israel and Syria, officials say significant U.S. involvement will probably be necessary for negotiations to move ahead, and that Syria is still demanding such involvement.
Both Israeli and foreign experts on Syria told Haaretz on Wednesday that a change in the American position was not on the horizon…
In short, Olmert may be ready to make the grand trade; Assad wants to dicker; and Washington refuses to remove its veto.
According to Alon Liel, the former director-general of the Foreign Ministry, who conducted back channel negotiations with Syria, Damascus understands that the price of a deal is dropping its alliance with Iran and Hizballah and realigning with the West. Cutting such a deal, it appears, will have to wait for a new US president – one who is willing to take an entirely new approach to the Mideast. Here’s a clue: It won’t help if his initials are JM.
As an American I am ashamed to say that we can’t get deals that will benefit the whole Near East going and have to rely on Condi Rubber Stamp who may be proficient in the Russian language but deficient in negotiating with them or anyone else. The chances for discussion with one’s enemies don’t always come along on cue. Syria has a vested interest in keeping Al Quaeda and there fellow travelers out.We should exploit that desire to the fullest and use the”carrot and the stick” approach and get them out of the Lebanon equation. I as a former forward observer would not give up the Golan Heights,after being there last month,to anyone.Israel should never put that option on the table.
Don’t count on the American public to do the right thing.They have proven that their fears can overrule their common sense or else how did we get “Dubya” for eight years.