It's Time to Talk to Syria [By JOHN KERRY and CHUCK HAGEL.....]

After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1991, President George H.W. Bush did the improbable and convinced Syrian President Hafez Assad to join an American-led coalition against a fellow Baathist regime.

Today, these leaders' sons have another chance for a diplomatic breakthrough that could redefine the strategic landscape in the Middle East.

The recent announcement of peace negotiations between Israel and Syria through Turkey, and the agreement between the Lebanese factions in Qatar – both apparently without meaningful U.S. involvement – should serve as a wake-up call that our policy of nonengagement has isolated us more than the Syrians. These developments also help create new opportunities and increased leverage that we can only exploit through substantive dialogue with Syria.

Syria's leaders have always made cold calculations in the name of self-preservation, and history shows that intensive diplomacy can pay off. Secretary of State James Baker made more than a dozen trips to Syria before Operation Desert Storm, and remember President Assad's price: U.S. support for Syrian dialogue with Israel. The ultimate challenge – moving Syria away from its marriage of convenience with Iran – will certainly not happen overnight. But it's telling that Iran lobbied Syria not to negotiate with Israel and that Syria decided to proceed regardless.

RECAP:

MNF-IRAQ.com - Press Release A080529a-056: Baghdad: "COALITION FORCES CAPTURE KEY SPECIAL GROUPS FIANCIER (PRESS RELEASE SNIPPET: "In addition, the individual was believed to travel to Iran and Syria to procure funds on behalf of Special Groups senior leadership.") (May 29, 2008)

WASHINGTON POST.com: "SEARCH IS URGED FOR SYRIAN NUCLEAR SITES U.S. Presses U.N. on 3 Alleged Facilities" by Joby Warrick and Robin Wright (May 29, 2008)

WASHINGTON POST.com (REUTERS): "MISSILE-RELATED SHIPMENT TO SYRIA STOPPED, U.S. SAYS" by Arshad Mohammed (ARICLE SNIPPET: "Four countries last year prevented Syria from receiving equipment that could be used to test ballistic missile components, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday. U.S. national security adviser Stephen Hadley described the previously undisclosed incident in a speech to members of the Proliferation Security Initiative, a network of countries that seeks to stop illicit weapons of mass destruction shipments.") (May 29, 2008, 12:01 AM)

INFOLIVE.tv: "US DEMANDS UN WATCHDOG INSPECT ADDITIONAL NUCLEAR FACILITIES IN SYRIA" (May 29, 2008)

JPOST.com - THE JERUSALEM POST: "'PROGRESS' DENIED IN SYRIA NEGOTIATIONS" (Updated June 1, 2008)

HAARETZ.com: "ISRAEL, SYRIA SAID TO HAVE MADE PROGRESS IN TALKS" (Last updated May 30, 2008, 11:35)

THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Sources: Al-Hayat, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, May 29, 2008"): "SYRIAN SOURCES: "SYRIAN SOURCES: PEACE WITH ISRAEL WILL CHANGE MIDDLE EAST" (May 29, 2008)

MEMRI.org - Special dispatch Series - No. 1940: "Editor of Syrian Government Daily: Israel Is a "Poisonous Mushroom"; "[Its] Rightful Owners Are Capable Of Uprooting It -- If Not Today Then Tomorrow"" (May 27, 2007)

HAARETZ.com: "MI: SYRIA CONTINUING TO ARM HEZBOLLAH DESPITE PEACE MOVES WITH ISRAEL" by Shahar Ilan, Haaretz Correspondent and DPA (Last update May 26, 2008, 18:31)

CIA.gov - Press Releases & Statements: "CIA DIRECTOR HAYDEN ANNOUNCES FINDINGS ON COVERT SYRIAN REACTOR Statement to Employees by Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, General Mike Hayden Announcing Findings on Covert Syrian Reactor April 24, 2008" (Last reviewed April 25, 2008, 09:01 AM)

THE MEMRI BLOG.org ("Source: IRNA, Iran, May 27, 2008; Al-Thawra, Syria, May 28, 2008"): "SYRIA, IRAN SIGN SECURITY MEMORANDUM" (Posted May 28, 2008)

MEMRI.org - Inquiry and Analysis Series - No. 443: "THE ECONOMIC DIMENSIONS OF SYRIA'S STRATEGIC RELATIONS WITH IRAN" by Dr. Nimrod Raphaeli and Bianca Gersten (May 28, 2008)

Stepping back in time...METIMES.com: "ANALYSIS: IRAN'S SECRET SYRIAN PLAN" by Olivier Guitta (November 19, 2007)

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Syria had every reason to help in 1991. Syria's neighbor at the time had the 4th largest Army in the world.

They were getting something out of it then. Now at they already got that, they don't have a reason to comply now.

It can be argued that Syria could have declined in 1991, and just let the US carry the load, but I think at that time, they wanted to be involved in dismantling their neighbors strength.

“It’s Time to Talk to Syria “

Yep, talk, that’s all the dim Dhims can or ever do. There’s no “there” to the Dhims. Ever. The do nothing party. Incapable of defending America or freedom anywhere in the world.

No, it’s time to BOMB Syria, Iran, etc. Bomb the crap out of them. Death and killing is something they understand and respect. Just about the only thing.

Here’s an idea Kerry, why don’t you and the rest of your democratics in Congress jump on some cargo planes and go chat it up with Syria, You have nothing to feah but feah itself.

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