There’s no reason to keep pushing Syria in the arms of Iran

EDWARD P. DJEREJIAN in the WSJ, here 

" .....The often adversarial relationship between the U.S. and Syria is a case in point. The Syrian regime could undermine security in southern Lebanon, hinder progress in Iraq, and continue to support Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas. It also has the potential to play a constructive role in the region—a possibility that has yet to be fully explored. A high-level bilateral dialogue could enhance our national security interests, as demonstrated by U.S. diplomacy in the recent past.

When I was ambassador to Syria (1988-1991), my major task was to implement the policy of strategic engagement established by President George H.W. Bush and Secretary of State James A. Baker III. Our relationship with Syria in the late 1980s was troubled. But we understood that without Syria we could not help end the civil war in Lebanon, make progress on Arab-Israeli peace talks, curtail certain terrorist groups, control drug trafficking, promote regional security, and advance our human-rights agenda. We sought common ground through serious dialogue.

Despite many obstacles, tangible goals were reached. Our consultations in Damascus facilitated the end of the tragic Lebanese civil war. Syrian President Hafez Assad responded positively to President Bush and Secretary Baker’s direct request for him to lend Syria’s political and military support to Operation Desert Storm. In a major breakthrough, U.S.-Syrian cooperation on Desert Storm helped to lead to Assad’s agreement to enter into face-to-face negotiations with Israel, which in turn led to the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991.......

While the historic context is different today than in the early 1990s, the basic rationale for promoting U.S. interests by engaging Syria remains valid. Engagement with Syria would promote peace negotiations between Jerusalem and Damascus. It would also distance Syria from its close relationship with Iran—and thereby reduce Iran’s influence in the Levant.

U.S. dialogue with Syria could lead to diminished support for Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah. It would consolidate Lebanon’s sovereignty. And it could secure the Syria-Iraq border.

On a broader level, a stronger relationship with the U.S. could create the conditions to promote economic and political reform within Syria. Our countries could also resume intelligence cooperation against al Qaeda and other radical Islamic groups that have threatened the Syrian regime in the past.

The Syrians are not interested in a piecemeal dialogue with the U.S., but they seek a comprehensive dialogue where all the major issues can be discussed. ..... While there are many important issues to be discussed, the key agenda item is the prospect for Israeli-Syrian peace. Syrian President Bashar Assad has reiterated his father’s “strategic option for peace,” which is based on the principle of land for peace. Though the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict is the issue of Palestine, the geopolitical core of the conflict is the Israeli-Syrian front. Without an Israeli-Syrian agreement, there will be no comprehensive peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors. An Israeli-Lebanese agreement would quickly follow......"