Washington Institute: Saudi-Iranian Mediation on Hizballah: Will a Lebanon Deal Come at Syria's Expense?

Saudi-Iranian Mediation on Hizballah: Will a Lebanon Deal Come at Syria's Expense?

Would Iran really throw Syria onto the tracks of the international tribunal for assassinating Rafiq Hariri in return for allowing Hezbullah power in Lebanon? Interesting article, highlighting the fact that Saudi foreign policy can -- and will -- subvert US foreign policy interests, as the recently agreed upon Mecca accords on the Palestinian "unity" government attest. One can only hope that this is merely a ploy to sow discord between Syria and Iran, perhaps facilitating Syria's turnaround and re-entry into the Saudi (and perhaps, might we hope, Western?) orbit. There is nothing Assad is more afraid of right now than being "indicted" for responsibility in the murder of Rafiq Hariri, and this may be our only leverage over Syria other than military attack. A cleaving off of Syria from Iran would be an enormous achievement for US foreign policy, and may be the tipping point in the increasing isolation of Iran, perhaps facilitating a possible non-military solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. Of course, supporters of Israel's security must note that any successful foreign relations move vis a vis Syria would undoubtedly cost Israel, and the Russians won't sit still either, now that they are (again) fully regaled in their Soviet-era immoral and thuggish foreign policy.