by Dani Reshef

Staying With Iran
Following the latest announcement of Syria and Israel from Wednesday 05/21/2008 that the two countries are holding indirect talks, according to the guidelines of Madrid conference from 1991, Some commentators claim that through the indirect talks Syria is looking into the possibility of switching sides in the Middle East confrontation between Iran and USA, and there is such a potential if the talks will move forward successfully. (See -TALKS )

Syria had three opportunities to change the course of its diplomacy in the five years. In 2004 thousands of Islamic volunteers streamed to Iraq through the Syrian border in order to fight the Americans in Iraq.

USA threatened Syria with commercial sanctions and military means to seal the border but also tried to persuade Syria with economical and military aid to do so. Syria wasn’t even asked to cut her ties with Iran. She had the option to remain an ally to Iran and in the same time to improve dramatically its relation with USA and the Western powers. Syria was in an ideal position to check the option of gradually switching sides but she preferred, when Iran was still many years away from a nuclear bomb, to stick with Iran.
 
After the assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri, on 02/14/2005, humiliated Syria was forced to leave Lebanon under UN Security council resolution, Arab and International pressure. An international enquiry committee investigating the assassination has found leads to the presidential palace in Damascus and the pressure on Syria increased. Syria could have easily avoided international pressure, isolation from the Arab world and potential sanctions by declaring peace negotiation with Israel, even if they were fruitless, and look for a sort of compromise with the Sunnite Arab world, led by Saudi Arabia. Instead of a compromise and an opportunity to switch sides Syria stuck by and coordinated with Iran the overcome of the pro-Western Lebanese government, proved to be fruitful with the Doha agreement from last week, the 05/14/2008, which handed over to the pro-Syrian Hizbullah the veto power on any decision in Lebanon and turned Lebanon to a Syrian satellite. (See - LEBANON Breakthrough )

Since the LEBANON Crisis from summer 2007, Syria held endless talks with Saudi Arabia and Egypt about a compromise in Lebanon. Syria could accept one of many Saudi offers to settle the Lebanese crisis. Saudi Arabia not only tried to persuade Syria with piles of petrol-dollars but also with a direct access to USA and with yet another opportunity to cease the moment toward switching sides. Syria refused all the temptations and stood with Iran.

There is no single declaration of a Syrian official leader or an article in the Syrian controlled media that suggests that Syria is considering even the slightest option of switching sides from Iran to USA. Syria’s continuous economic growth in the last few years and Iran scoring more points in the confrontation with USA in the region. It seems that there is nothing that can be done to prevent Iran from nuclear weapon and Iran overshadows the Middle East. In this circumstances it is almost certain that Syria will stay with Iran, at least until something will be done to confront Iran and change the balance in the Middle East.  
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 Source:Global Jihad