Syria, Iraq To Restore Relations

Diplomatic Relations Were Severed In 1982; Iran Invites Syria, Iraq To Summit

(CBS/AP)  Diplomatic relations between Syria and Iraq – severed nearly a quarter-century ago – will be restored this week during the visit of Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem, the government spokesman said Monday.

Moallem arrived Sunday in Iraq in the first such high-level visit by a Syrian official since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. He was expected to return to Damascus on Tuesday.

"Diplomatic relations will be restored between the two countries during the visit," Ali al-Dabbagh told The Associated Press.

The Syrians are plainly worried that escalating violence here could spill over their borders, along with a flood of Iraqi refugees, reports CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer.

Iraq and the United States hope that Syria's offer of help means it will now get serious about choking off the flow of hundreds insurgent fighters who travel to Iraq over their common border.

Syria broke diplomatic ties with Iraq in 1982, accusing it of inciting riots by the banned Muslim Brotherhood in Syria. Damascus also sided with Iran in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. Trade ties were restored in 1997.

Also Monday, four key lawmakers told the Associated Press that Iran has invited the Iraqi and Syrian presidents to Tehran for a weekend summit with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to hash out ways to cooperate in curbing the runaway violence that has taken Iraq to the verge of civil war and threatens to spread through the region.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has accepted the invitation and will fly to the Iranian capital on Saturday, a close parliamentary associate said.

The Iranian diplomatic gambit appeared designed to upstage expected moves from Washington to include Syria and Iran in a wider regional effort to clamp off violence in Iraq, where more civilians have been killed in the first 20 days of November than in any other month since the AP began tracking the figure in April 2005.

The Iranian move was also a display of its increasingly muscular role in the Middle East, where it already has established deep influence over Syria and Lebanon.

"All three countries intend to hold a three-way summit among Iraq, Iran and Syria to discuss the security situation and the repercussions for stability of the region," said Ali al-Adeeb, a lawmaker of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Dawa Party and a close aide to the prime minister.

Both Iran and Syria are seen as key players in Iraq. Syria is widely believed to have done little to stop foreign fighters and al Qaeda in Iraq recruits from crossing its border to join Sunni insurgents in Iraq. It also has provided refuge for many top members of Saddam Hussein's former leadership and political corps, which is thought to have organized arms and funding for the insurgents. The Sunni insurgency, since it sprang to life in the late summer of 2003, has been responsible for the vast majority of U.S. deaths in Iraq.

Iran is deeply involved in training, funding and arming the two major Shiite militias in Iraq, where Tehran has deep historic ties to the current Shiite political leadership.

Many Iraqi Shiites spent years in Iranian exile during Saddam's decades in power in Baghdad. One militia, the Badr Brigade, was trained in Iran by the Revolutionary Guard.

An Ahmadinejad spokesman said that Talibani's visit was scheduled several weeks ago for late November to work on improving bilateral relations. But Majid Yazdi told The Associated Press that he had no information on a coming visit by the Syrian leader.

But Talabani confidants said the invitation was issued on Thursday by Iranian Ambassador Hassan Kazimi Qumi who said Syrian President Bashar Assad also would be in Tehran for the talks with Ahmadinejad.

[mjv2944]

Just another reason to pull out all our troops. That should really be a meeting of the minds. My guess is that Israel will be on the short end of that one. Time to leave, so long, goodby, poor old Halliburton will have to try and make it with Iraq. If our leaders can't see the writing on the wall, its time to impeach and change our direction. Enough is enough.

[bob_burd]

Sounds like a terrorist get-together to me. Find out where all these despots and demagogues are meeting and drop a few bunker-buster bombs on them. Iran and its new anti-Christ leader need a big lesson. To liquidate Bashar Assad would be a bonus as well.

Selah

[bob_burd]

Who's putting on this little cotillion - Russia?

"And now, for our special guest speaker.....Vladimir Putin....."

Selah

[pakaal]

Looks like our "Hearts and Minds" campaign hasn't been QUITE as successful as the Bush administration assured us it would be. There go our liberated Iraqis, off to meet with the country they were at war with for six years. Complete US failure in Iraq? Looks that way.

[j-whitman]

Bob -- Guess what ??? That was James Baker's result from his trip to Syria & Tehran.

[olebd]

Gee, why didn't OUR president think of this?

This is going to turn out to be some good PR for Iran unfortuneately. Especially if they succeed in getting Syria to curb the insurgents from crossing over into Iraq.

Anything to take the attention off of their nuke ambitions and make Bush look even worse.

[j-whitman]

Olebd,, Maybe God didn't tell Bush about that when they where conversing yesterday..

[mjv2944]

olebd

Don't take much to make Dubya look bad, he does it all by himself.

[j-whitman]

How about that Alabama school bus accident?? - Seat belts & air bags have been needed for years now -- Republicans are against the idea - It would mean a tax hike to pay for them.

[blondmadison]

How about that Alabama school bus accident?? - Seat belts & air bags have been needed for years now -- Republicans are against the idea - It would mean a tax hike to pay for them.

Posted by j-whitman at 01:47 PM : Nov 20, 2006


No need for a tax hike, take it back from the Congress and Senate pay raises over the past years. Instead of paying them at their new rate, pay them a really old rate and pay the difference into a fund which will pay for the safety gear on buses. Priorities the congress and senate do not get.

[blondmadison]

It is a shame that other countries have to show this country how to do things.

Is anyone suggesting "America" could not have done this by now? Simply to sit down and talk?

Instead, subject our children to being killed by sending them in to kill the children of a foreign country?? Rather than sit down and talk? Yes. Sick, sickening and creepy. Having real value for human life does not register to the leader of this country?

Like he said, "Everyone knows there'll be "casualties" in every war." Speaking about our children being killed in the war...

They aren't children anymore, they are "casualties". Someone tell me what the difference is.

[patriotic9]

Thanks to PRESIDENT BUSH and the RADICAL CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS LIKE HIM.Secular Saddam who was the best fighter against RADICAL MUSLIMS have been removed from power by THE RADCIAL CHRISTIANS in UNITED STATES who wanted to attack Iraq for helping the second coming of CHRIST,and a RADICAL ISLAMIST named MALIKI has been brought into power on the name of DEMOCRACY,who is taking our TAX PAYED MONEY on the name of REBUILDING IRAQ ,to establish a RADICAL ISLAMIC STATE from IRAN in the EAST to LEBANON in WEST under the rule of those AYATOLLAHs who call us GREATEST SATAN.
All the NON-SENSE,BASE-LESS IDEOLOGY taught by RADICAL CHRISTIANITY have been proven FLAT WRONG by the IRAQ WAR.Jesus hasn't come back by this war but ISLAMISTs have become so powerful as they were never before.
After the thousands of years old BACKWARD CHRISTIANITY being proven wrong,first thing we AMERICANS should do is to stop TAKING OIL IN CHEAPER PRICES FROM ARABS and THEN SUPPORTING and PROTECTING THEIR THOSE ENEMIES WHO WERE BROUGHT INTO PALESTINE AFTER WWII TO OCCUPY THEIR LAND BY FORCE BECAUSE OF THE RACIST AND UNJSUT CHRISTIAN BELIEF OF HUMAN BEINGS BEING GOD-CHOSEN OR GOD-NEGLECTED ON THE BASIS OF THE RACE OR FAMILY THEY ARE BORN IN.

[alphaa10-2009]

Partitioning Iraq-- 2
If the Shia join with Iran, the Sunnis probably will enter the orbit of Syria at some point, and the Kurds will be left to fend for themselves. These poor people have been defending their traditional homeland areas against almost everybody, from the Turks to Saddam, and it looks bad for them unless some peaceful establishment of new borders can be achieved. The Kurds are the people, if you recall, who were gassed (with Bush1-supplied nerve agents) by Saddam, and who later streamed frantically through steep mountain passes trying to escape Saddam's attack helicopters after Gulf War I. (Even Reagan's Secretary of State, James Baker, was forced to make a high-profile visit to their refugee camps after hearing of extreme suffering.) There is one hope-- if Kurds can keep their northern Iraq areas, they might negotiate with Turkey to allow Kurdish brothers in South Turkey to join them, freeing Turkey from its own Kurdish-area insurrection. This is a huge humanitarian crisis in the making, with political fault lines everywhere.

Write your congressmen to ask for immediate talks to partition Iraq under UN auspices. Only that measure will extricate the US with some degree of peace-- and without reactionary American elements trying to fight Iran to the last Iraqi. It was Bush/GOP lies which brought American troops to Iraq, but more of their lies will remedy nothing.

[alphaa10-2009]

Clearly, the original MidEast balance of power has been effectively destroyed by the invasion of Iraq. Because of Bush and his short-sighted, presumptuous interference and Rumsfeld's reflexive belief American military power can achieve almost any geopolitical goal, we are now forced to watch Iraq disintegrate and at least the major portion become a client-state of Ahmadinejad's Iran.

We are left only to end the horrendous Iraqi civil war by the most effective, direct, and bloodless means available, because these are Iraqi human beings being torn limb from limb to gratify the political ambitions of outsiders. Regardless of last-ditch efforts by Bush and McCain to salvage Iraq, it is clear the Sunnis and Shia are past reconciliation. The only means of securing peace is to follow the India-Pakistan model for separating bitterly opposed, but former neighbors. It is worth noting the British, who were in charge in India in 1947 at the partitioning of that country, also helped create the artificial political conglomerate now called "Iraq". Since Iraq has no internal cohesion to salvage in any settlement, the current civil war can only become worse for all concerned.

[cathaleen]

This is how it should be. One muslim country dealing with another. They understand each other. Heavens know we'll never understand them.

[sunshine_2]

Fast Fact:
" Iran is deeply involved in training, funding and arming the two major Shiite militias in Iraq, where Tehran has deep historic ties to the current Shiite political leadership. "

Is this Fast Fact ... as good as the Fast Fact on WMD's in Iraq? Did CBS Prove this or is it Information from the Bush Administration?

Mr. bush is too stuborn to call for an "Open Mid East Peace Summit", it would go against every thing he has said, his "Democracy Building Imperialistic Intentions" for the Middle East.

I for one, think it is good for the middle east to get involved in settling this before the whole area Erupts in Sectarian Violence. If the West and America does not get credit, who cares so long as a Peaceful Situation is developed.
Iraq will eventually choose its own friends anyway, and go its own direction, regardless what America says is best for them. We tried to Rebuild Iran and it back fired on us.
Bush screwed it ups so bad, I am sure some other countries can not do any worse.
In the mean time maybe America will take a serious look at the McCain proposals to stop the blood shed and give the Diplomats a chance to work out the Governing issues, and let civilians live.

[alphaa10-2009]

Correction-- Baker was Secretary of State under Bush 1, and was at Treasury under Reagan.

[sunshine_2]

alphaa10:

On Partitioning Iraq,

Each time the UN decides the Borders of another Independant Country ... it does not bring Peace, but only further war after the resettling.
Look at what was Formerly Palestine, Iseral the list goes on.
It is Natural Human history that wars adn Victories dictate borders. NotthatI agree wiht it, but it is human nature to get your "HomeLand Back".
Who will get the Vast Oil reserves when you are done cutting up the country? No one Sect will be satisfied, that is their biggest battle now. Oil is Money - Money is Power. The religious devide is real ... but it all comes down to power.
It is the Population of Iraq that is suffering, and will continue to die, while the politicians fight for a "Better Hand" and greater power.

[olebd]

Ah who know, once these neighbors work out their differences, they'll be invited to Texas for a BBQ and Dubya will find a way to claim some credit.

[patriotic9]

We Americans need to understand their culture.Both SUNNIs and SHIAs are united at one point and that is their ANIMOSITY and HATRED against west.They kill each other to fool us.For achieving their GOALS they don't only kill each other but kill themsleves.This is something which'll not be easy for AMERICANS to understand.Sunnis have been given charge to kill U.S troops whereas their SHIA brothers have been given charge to make a RADICAL ISLAMIC GOVT on the name of DEMOCRACY and to take AMERICAN TAX PAYED MONEY on the name of REBUILDING IRAQ.Hamas is a sunni organization but the leader of that organization has great ties with IRANIAN PRESIDENT AHMADINIJAD.This is just one example.After all these MISTAKES which BUSH made on the basis of CHRISTIANITY,he now knows the FALSHOOD of CHRISTIANITY that's why he no longer uses the word GOD or REFRANCES FROM BIBLE in his SPEECHES anymore like he used to do in the past.

[bob_burd]

What a fine way for the government of Iraq to reward the US, who got rid of Saddam for them at the cost of many young American lives, and put them in charge of their own country.

Those people can't be helped - maybe the US should release Saddam, put him back in the palace and let him kill a few hundred thousand more. They aren't smart enough to see or appreciate living in a democracy, so give them back their beloved iron fist.

Things are going to be much worse once Syria and Iran have Iraq's blessing to undermine US attempts at enforcing a democracy and rebuilding the country. They aren't worth it and have shown how the repay the sacrifice of thousands of US Army soldiers and Marines' lives, and hundreds of billions of dollars spent trying to create a future for the country.

Selah

[reuben110-2009]

What you must realize is that the US, along with fellow side-kick Great Britain launched an illegal war. Colin Powell in February and Condaleeza Rice in August of the very same year our troops went into Iraq, belittled Iraqi millitary capability. What followed was poliical manipulation through the media to get our hands on their oil.

Consequently it was a disaster. Loss of human life on a daily basis is around 300, which means you must seriously injure/disable 600 a day. Iraqis have been suffering this for a long enough for them to begin to pursue other avenues of hope, even if that maybe Iran, a neighbour and cultural affiliate for milleneums.

The moral of the story is,our conduct isnt fooling anybody on a global stage, we ignore UN resolutions whilst demanding others comply.We have fought/endorsed more wars in 5 decades than other nation have in centuries.We are are misrepreseted as a God-Fearing peoples. Its better to stop ruining our reputation as a beacon of democracy, and focus on domestic issues. We are rich enough to look after our own better, rather than being exposed through Abu Ghuraib and Guatanamo Bay.

People ought to wake up and stop believing the media who are merely tools of the politicians, platforms for them to launch their propaganda, as opposed to being an informant source for the people.Wake up.

[j-whitman]

As Communist China builds up it's military, Iraq is diverting 7 Billion a month away from modernizing our own military,, Any attack on Iran will result in losing our foothold in the Persian Gulf, & further isolation of our troops in Iraq.

[patriotic9]

Why should we be concerned about bringing democracy to Iraq or any other MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRY.Not the people of Iraq,but the people of United States pay tax to U.S govt.It's true that SADDAM had killed his own people because they wanted to establish a RADICAL ISLAMIC GOVT based on the hatred of west.The only people who were having great lives and had no problems getting good jobs at the time of SADDAM were IRAQI CATHOLICS called CALDIANS because he knew that in a muslim country nobody would like to see a CATHOLIC being PRESIDENT so he didn't have any fear of power from them.
As far as invading or bombing other countries to solve their domestic problems,is it JUSTIFIED FOR ANY OTHER COUNTRY TO BOMB OR INVADE UNITED STATES FOR THE LIBERATION OF THOSE YOUNG,INNOCENT AMERICAN BOYS WHO HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY MOLESTED OR SODOMIZED BY THE AMERICAN HOMOSEXUAL PEDOPHILE PRIESTS IN THE AMERICAN CHURCHES.

[patriotic9]

j_whitman
It's not only 7Billion a month,now we know a lot of weapons which were given to the IRAQI security forces by our tax money have been missing which indicates how come HIZBOLLAH fighters were so well armed in fighting this year.Plus we also don't know how many of the IRAQI SECURITY FORCES people we train are the INSURGENTS form ALQAEDA or MEHDI ARMY who are getting training from our soldiers,getting salaries by our tax money to kill the same U.S SOLDIERS who train them.Just like OSAMA BIN LADEN and his followers who were TRAINED,GIVEN MONEY and WEAPONS by REAGAN administration had ultimately used them agianst us.

[j-whitman]

Patriotic,,, Not to mention all the help Bush's daddy gave Saddam for several years with Cheney & Rumsfield's help... Republican Neo-Cons won't learn anything.... & Viet Nam became peacefull after we left.

[truthwillwin]

TIME-SENSITIVE TERRORISM ALERT: The Omen, Da Vinci Code, "greatest [Masonic] mystery" dissolved: U.S. Independence Day is cryptic message regarding final anniversary of Vatican's U.S. Bull, which announced on November 18, 1302, '...It is absolutely necessary that every human creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff,' and that weapons of warfare are fair tools to achieve that goal. "July 4" means 704 years since 11/18/1302 (2006); 1776 = 1110 + 666 = November 10 [6 6 6] = November 28 (actual anniversary since Rome advanced common calendar by TEN days in 1582. NATO Summit on November 28, 2006 is secretly to discuss exact plans for implementation of the Mark of the Beast, the VeriChip microchip/radio-frequency identification, or RFID, implant -- known in Congress as Real I.D. (secure identification). "Independence Day" initials represent upcoming enforcement of the VeriChip. President Bush's Skull & Bones Society (a.k.a Yale University Order of Death) bears number '322' on its satanic emblem because November 18 is 322nd day of Roman calendar year. See http://day12.SquareSpace.com for more info.

[patriotic9]

j-whitman
Bin Laden must be smiling somewhere in a cave about our stupidity.That's why 2 days before the last presidential election,BIN LADEN had released a video tape in which he was talking against BUSH.It was obvious when the WORST ENEMY of UNITED STATES was talking against PRESIDENT BUSH,the innocent people of UNITED STATES were supposed to vote BUSH which BIN LADEN wanted.I just hope and wish we don't have to see any disaster in the rest of coming 2 years.

[j-whitman]

Patriotic,,, I seriously believe Bin Laden new George Bush better than his own conservitives do.

[gaye5]

Ironic eh, Bush's daddy gave Saddam all the help he needed, and Bush son captures him and he is sentenced to death...
We buy their oil so as they can spend the money on weapons of destruction against us,, yep that sounds fair?????

I agree that we have to stop any middle eastern nation from aquiring weapons of mass distruction, as they dont seem to be able to get on with other people and seem to love killing, but I now think it is time to get out of there, they cannot be helped and most of all they dont want our help, and who do we think we are that we can help them. As they hate us for taking Saddam away, we should just give him back to them. They prefered it the way it was!!!, no power, no water, etc if they didnt behave themselves, and thousands being killed all the time so if that is what they want who are we to say no..

[pakaal]

I have to repeat the joke I heard the other night:

Q: How do we know Saddam had weapons of mass destruction?

A: We still have the receipts!

[j-whitman]

Pakaal,,, Now this administration keeps no reciepts.

[pakaal]

gaye5, you said "they hate us for taking Saddam away, we should just give him back to them. no power, no water, etc."

Actually they did like us getting Saddam out of the way, but the stuff about power and water isn't quite true. The infrastructure they had in place worked fine. We destroyed the infrastructure in the war and haven't really gotten it up and running yet (after 3 years).

[pakaal]

j-whitman, they do have the receipts, it's just that no one is authorized to see them due to "National Security". ;-)

[j-whitman]

Pakaal,, I think that's part of Bush's concept of helping small business,, Now if you can afford to buy portable generators you can start your own elcetrical company in Iraq.

[pakaal]

I like that spin, j-whitman. "We've created a world of new business opportunities in Iraq for entrepreneurs in the Utilities business."

[j-whitman]

Pakaal,, you must have seen the same program I saw on electricity problems in Iraq

[j-whitman]

We still need to fix our Army & Marine Corps before we can fix Iraq,, And that just isn't happening.

[pakaal]

I read on some site - Democracy Now or one of those, it said something about them only having an average of 1-2 hours of electricity daily. And that was only in Baghdad. Was that what you heard, j-whitman?

I can't wait to get out of work so I can get home and check out that special on Iran. Two hour thing, taped it last night but haven't seen it yet.

[j-whitman]

Pakaal,, It might be a little better, I'm not sure. I was watching one of the press confrences from the Emerald City recently on our progress when they lost thier power.

[pakaal]

I do wish Turkey would chime in on all this. If any country could be a mediating force, it would be them - secular government, Islamic people. Seems to me that they'd be able to explain the advantages to their system of governance - I don't think we have the credibility to do that any more.

[pakaal]

From another site, on electricity in Baghdad:

"Residents now receive an average of just 2.4 hours per day, compared to 16-24 hours before the U.S. invasion."

[j-whitman]

We have no credibility in the entire region anymore, besides Turkey's got thier hands full with other problems caused by us.

[j-whitman]

We've not only lost our credibility,, We've lost our moral standing in the world.

[j-whitman]

I just heard we've lost 2 more today in Iraq, that brings the monthly total to 47 I believe... White House will now say we are winning & Iraq's safer.

[pakaal]

Well, I don't know what else Turkey has going on that's our fault (although there may be something - the Kurds on Turkey's southern border?). I know they're having trouble getting into the EU but I think that's because of their Armenian history "problem"....

[j-whitman]

I'm heading out to Denny's, talk more later.

[alphaa10-2009]

On the suggestion to partition Iraq, Sunshine_2 said, "Each time the UN decides the Borders of another Independant Country ... it does not bring Peace, but only further war after the resettling... Look at what was Formerly Palestine..."
---

As you say, no international or regional power collective can create what culture and local politics will not sustain. But that is precisely why a UN-coordinated partition is the only alternative to our vain attempts to glue an Iraq together which was never one to begin with.

[alphaa10-2009]

Partitioning Iraq-- 2
In his better days, Kissinger observed the best agreements, even with enemies, can be relied upon to work when they express mutual interest. In the same sense of mutual interest, successful resettling followed the vicious civil war which issued India and Pakistan. The Balkans demonstrate comparative stability after several bloody years without the UN presence, and there are multiple other examples of the ability of an international or regional body to defuse tensions in a way that allows real healing to occur. Of course, the UN itself does not do the healing, but promotes conditions to allow healing to occur-- and this may be where you confuse the UN with the failed British mandate in Palestine.

Iraq is an outstanding example of regional rivalries at play, but no model at all for constructive outcomes. It is simply the convergence of a number of political faultlines, and only ignorance of what Saddam did to hold Iraq together would persuade anybody Iraq has a native cohesion or future. Most parties to Iraq would welcome a comparatively honest broker, one not identified with the US or UK or regional players like Syria, Iran and even Tureky. Until one is found, the current disaster will continue at great cost to the people of Iraq, and threaten the security of all parties. After invading the country, how ironic Bush might find the UN has great utility, after all.

[cbgb31]

Pakaal,, I think that's part of Bush's concept of helping small business,, Now if you can afford to buy portable generators you can start your own elcetrical company in Iraq.
Posted by j-whitman at 07:12 PM : Nov 20, 2006

I like that spin, j-whitman. "We've created a world of new business opportunities in Iraq for entrepreneurs in the Utilities business."
Posted by pakaal at 07:16 PM : Nov 20, 2006

I have to admit those were both pretty funny.