More on Syrian Engagement

This is apropos of yesterday’s post on the supposed danger of allowing the Rafik Hariri assassination tribunal to implicate Bashar Assad or his inner circle…

In the Daily Star, Michael Young writes about the motives behind the U.S.’s enduring desire to bring Syria into the fold and engage its despots. “[T]he Syrians’ strong card is their ability to dance with Iran and Hizbullah and Hamas and manipulate the Lebanese and Palestinian scenes while continuing to oversee mayhem in Iraq.” Young fears a scenario in which the U.S.–with Israeli backing–gives Syria a free hand to regain hegemony in Lebanon in return for the marginalization of Hezbollah and toning down its Golan demands.

He faults the March 14 coalition for not articulating a strong message in the policy vacuum of the U.S. transition period. “There is still time for March 14 to fill that vacuum with practical proposals to ensure the US does not throw out the Lebanese independence baby with the bathwater when it chats up Assad.”