One thing one can't do is demonize Syria and Iran while supporting Pakistan and expect to be taken seriously. It's obvious hypocrisy, takes a real pretzel-brain.

If you can get along with Pakistan, you can get along with Syria and Iran. And have to get along with 'em. After all, Syria and Iran have common borders with Iraq, and have a legitimate interest in the area. The US does NOT have a border with Iraq, and is an illegal aggressor. The us is the rogue nation, if you will. The invasion was state-sponsored terrorism. (Remember "Shock and Awe", designed to break the will of the civilian population as well as military? What's the definition of terrorism?)

Like it or not, the US, Syria and Iran have a common interest in the area. And right now Iran is coming out the big winner, the US the big loser. And, really, no matter what happens the US has lost, and will never regain the moral leadership it once had, will never be able to rightfully consider itself the good guy.

Besides that, the US has no choice. It cannot continue to demonize Iran and Syria and hope to maintain its' influence in the Middle East. Syria and Iran can undermine anything the US tries to put together.

OR, the US could attack Iran. It has already started, sponsoring Kurdish incursions in the north. The headlines read "Iran shells Iraq", without mentioning why. And the Kurds are dumb enough to trust another Bush. Last time GHWB sold them out against Saddam.

By the way, after 6 years of Bush and Pakistan, OBL is STILL loose and the Taliban is stronger than ever. And even worse, the Taliban was NEVER a strategic threat to the US. OBL lived there, that was the only issue. So why are we still in Afghanistan? Just enjoy losing?

Arf