US Official:"if we are not willing to `bomb Syria' when they aid in the killing of our troops in Iraq, we certainly are not going to do it for Siniora

From MEPGS: (excerpts)

"......US officials continue to ponder how its allies so badly miscalculated in their confrontation with Hezbollah. These officials are at a loss to explain how the normally cautious Prime Minister Siniora would make such confrontational demands upon the powerful Shia militia. "After some 4800 decisions by consensus, the government all of a sudden decides to challenge Hezbollah," says one key US official. "Frankly, I think Hezbollah had no choice but to respond.".....

From the US, Hariri was seeking, as usual, increased international support. But he also repeated requests for direct military pressure on Syria's borders by US forces in Iraq and new weaponry for the Lebanese Armed Forces, specifically Cobra AH-1 attack helicopters. The Administration was favorably considering the supply of the helicopters, but key US officials say that at no time did they intimate that they were prepared to confront Syria militarily........As one well-placed US official put it, "We have made it abundantly clear that if we are not willing to `bomb Damascus' when the Syrians aid and abet in the killing of our troops in Iraq, we certainly are not going to do it to support the Lebanese government.".....

There is reliable evidence to US policymakers that top Syrian leaders including President Bashar al-Assad have expressed great satisfaction at the outcome of the confrontation.......

US officials have also concluded that the Israeli political leadership has no real interest in pursuing talks with Syria at this time. At best, it is thought that Israeli Prime Minister Olmert is prepared, in the words of one well-placed diplomat, "to keep his options open." More likely, says this diplomat, Olmert sees it useful to keep Syria "in play" as he negotiates with the Palestinians.......

However, the Israelis are anything but sanguine about the situation in Gaza. Most senior officials believe it is only a matter of time before the Israeli military will make a major thrust into Gaza. "It is not a question of whether but when," says one well-placed Israeli official. "And that `when' will likely occur after one of their attacks really succeeds in causing significant loss of life." That is not to say the Israelis are looking forward to such an undertaking. As one well-placed Israeli official put it last week, "Going into Gaza is like going back into Lebanon." ....

And with the end of the Bush Administration in sight, there is little expectation that Iran will change course or is even interested in talks with the US. [Still, Iran continues to dominate many inter agency discussions,
with a wide range of options constantly under discussion, say Administration insiders]. If, indeed, Iran cannot be engaged, let alone deterred from its present course by the Bush Administration, then many see it being at least a year before any conceivable break through could take place. And by then it could be too late, say the Israelis....."