Talks with Syria

The Independant carried an article today on how Avi Dichter, the Israeli Internal Security Minister believes that Syria must now be included in talks since it (Syria), "...is a very significant country." Interesting, Israel has lost the war in the South of Lebanon (and by discovering it's weakness, a key detterant against Iran) and is now keen to involve Syria in meaningful discussion, perhaps with the carrot of the Golan heights. All this in an effort to "...detach Syria from its central role in the Tehran-Damascus-Hizbollah axis". Interesting now that Israel realises it is not all powerful it now wishes to negotiate and play nice.

Syria's long term interest would be better served if aligned with Iran rather than with the West. Syria holds the keys to Lebanon, Iran those of Iraq while the political capital Hezbullah now enjoy in the Arab world serves as an inspiration for grass roots movements keen on effecting positive change. This may be an oversimplification, but it is not implausible and one would best remember that great things always have small beginnings. I'm not saying that Syria and Iran are beacons of justice and virtue (notice I don't refer to democracy, which I now feel is dirty and makes me want to wash), but the sooner the Arab world realises that and gets it's act together, the sooner the lives of the ordinary man on the street will start improving; not least by cutting off avenues of Western domination politically, economically and militarily.