US Must Engage Syria Diplomatically
John Kerry, Sen. Mass. & Chuck Hagel, Sen. Nebr. | June 6, 2008
US cooperation with Syria - “not based on shared values, but shared interests” - should replace the policy of non-engagement to support Israel, isolate Iran, and ameliorate the situation in Iraq. ++ Waiving economic sanctions against Syria could provide huge leverage when addressing issues such as Lebanon’s right to sovereignty, Israeli-Syrian peace negotiations, and Syria’s nuclear aspirations without simultaneously involving much risk. ++ Doubts regarding Syria’s real intentions should not ruin this opportunity for a diplomatic breakthrough.
Tue, Jul 1st 2008, 16:52
Lior Petek, University of St. Gallen, Platinum Contributor (216)
There are no shared interests. Syria is a minority dictatorship and totalitarian regime that can only survive by mobilising its stricken population against foreign threats and external scapegoats. Therefore Syria has an interest in destabilizing the region - at least up to a certain point, that is, a point just short of leading the US or Israel or any other country in the region in the security of which it interferes to attack it in a manner that threatens the survival of the Alawite regime. This can hardly be termed "shared interests".
So before there can be any sincere cooperation with Syria it rather needs first to prove to the US, Israel or the West in general that it shares their interests. How about opening an embassy in Lebanon to demonstrate that Syria really recognizes the sovereignty of Lebanon? How about stopping the arms transfer to Hezbollah and speaking in front of the Knesset - as Sadat did - to demonstrate that Syria really wants peace with Israel? How about stopping supporting the insurgency in Iraq?