Engagement

Over at the Commentary blog, Jenifer Rubin asks: "How's Syrian Engagement Working Out?"
Of, course, the answer is. "Not so well."

The Obama Administration recently announced it would send the US ambassador back to Syria, in an effort to engage Damascus and wean Syria away from Iran. The response has been underwhelming, as was the response to the visit to Damascus by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns on February 17. During Burns' meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad, the Syrian leader denied all American claims that his regime was providing military aid to terrorists in Iraq, or to Hezbollah and Palestinian terror groups.

Will anyone point out the futility of the US trying to get engaged to Iran's favorite concubine?Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also visited Damascus, arriving on Thursday for a two-day official vist, during which he met with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah along with the Syrian President.

On the day he arrived, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton called on Syrian officials to distance themselves from Iran and decrease level of relations with Tehran. Later, the two presidents held a joint press conference at which the Iranian president said, "We can listen to the advice of this lady, but in fact there is no distance to shorten it."

He also declared the US tried to dominate the entire region but now the Americans have to leave the region empty-handed and that is why they are very angry.

"Our response to them is that you should die of this anger," he announced.

That evening, Ahmadinejad and Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday evening joined Assad for dinner. The Iranian president threatened that Arab nations would usher in a new Middle East "without Zionists and without colonialists."

Not to be outdone, Assad said of Israel that "we believe we are facing an entity that is capable of aggression at any point, and we are preparing ourselves for any Israeli aggression, be it on a small or large scale. We must be prepared for any Israeli response, under any pretext."

Ahmadinejad also met with heads of the Palestinian terror gangs in Syria, including Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal, Islamic Jihad Deputy Secretary-General Ziad Nahla and Ahmed Jibril, leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command. Mashaal, Jibril, and Islamic Jihad Secretary-General Ramadan Shallah then left their Syrian haven to travel to a fund-raiser in Iran on Saturday to meet Iran's Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Iranian gnome-in-chief announced: "Palestine will be liberated through the Palestinian people's tough resistance and unity among jihad groups. Those who support Zionism will be shamefully ushered off the stage of history and departing with a tarnished image."

Ambassador Robert Ford has not yet been confirmed for his posting to Syria. You have to wonder if any Senator will point out the futility of the US trying to get engaged to Iran's favorite concubine