[AppyPappy]

Is there something in particular that makes you think there is a power equilibrium in Syria's part of the world that is teetering precariously on a precipice?

Syria is one of the countries bordering Israel ie supposedly keeping Israel in check according to the Arabs. They will freak if we wipe out one of Israel's neighbors. Most Arab countries had their own reason for wanting Saddam knocked off. I doubt the feel the same about Assad considering he isn't a direct threat to any of them.

Remember that we wouldn't allow the Israelis to go after Damascus because it would cause trouble with the Soviets and our "allies".

[yeswecan]

"Syria is one of the countries bordering Israel ie supposedly keeping Israel in check according to the Arabs. They will freak if we wipe out one of Israel's neighbors. Most Arab countries had their own reason for wanting Saddam knocked off. I doubt the feel the same about Assad considering he isn't a direct threat to any of them."

If we learn anything from the Iraq experience, it should be that we need not worry how much people ("Arabs" in particular) "freak" over us doing the right thing.

Granted, I am not sure that we are in a position to invade Syria. It would be a huge gamble for Bush politically and, since Israel already has WMD's, it would be a hard sell internationally.

However, if the opportunity were there, the subduing of Syria would yield great strategic dividends and make the concern over inflaming Arab opinion risible. In other words, if you control Syria, you control the nerve center of anti-Israeli terrorism and stabilize the Middle East for decades. At that point, you could carve out a chunk of sand to be a "Palestinian homeland" and everyone could live happily ever after.

The last thing other Arab states want is a settlement of the Palestinian issue. Is that a reason not to pursue a resolution? If there is a balance of power issue here, it is more a question of the power struggle between the U.S. and its global competitors than between Middle Eastern countries drawing new borderlines in the sand.