New York Times Editorial - The road to Damascus

New York Times Editorial - The road to Damascus
Copyright by The New York Times
Published: November 15, 2006


Israel's prime minister, Ehud Olmert, got what he wanted most out of his White House meeting with President George W. Bush on Monday - a reiteration of America's uncompromising position on the Iranian nuclear issue. Tough talk is fine, but not enough. Washington could put greater pressure on Iran and perhaps advance another urgent Israeli concern, disarming Hezbollah, by dropping its resistance to high-level talks with Syria.

Whenever such talks are proposed, Bush and Olmert point out the many objectionable policies of Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad. That misses the point. Diplomacy is not simply a matter of rewarding countries that act the way Washington likes. It can also be a useful tool for trying to induce countries like Syria to behave more constructively.

With Iran now asserting that it has achieved international acceptance as a nuclear state and Syria's Lebanese allies again challenging the Beirut government, it is time to give direct diplomacy with Syria a serious try.

Chipping away at Lebanon's sovereignty or Israel's security to win Syria's good will would, of course, be a disastrous mistake. But without crossing those red lines it might be possible for Washington to wean Damascus away from its alliance of convenience with Tehran. Syria and Iran are not natural or inevitable allies. Washington's clumsy attempts to ostracize both regimes have managed to tighten their mutual embrace.

One crucial difference between them is that Iran is thumbing its nose at international diplomacy so it can continue to learn how to enrich bomb grade uranium, and Syria is not. That is a distinction Washington needs to recognize and exploit. A Syria detached from Iran and engaged by the United States could conceivably be enlisted in reviving the Arab-Israeli peace effort and containing the spreading chaos in Iraq. Syria's national interests in both areas at least partially intersect with those of the United States and Israel.

Olmert was right to sound the alarm about Iran advancing its nuclear capabilities while its president calls for Israel's destruction. For now, the most effective response would be a full-court diplomatic press, combined with an escalating menu of international sanctions until Iran agrees to halt uranium enrichment. With the threat from Iran so clear, this is no time to invent more reasons for not talking to Syria.