About the Middle East

I am convinced we abandoned the Iraqis because the Left's hatred of President George W. Bush and the goal of his successor, President Barack Obama, to realigned our interests with those of Iran.

In Libya and Egypt we toppled dictators opposed to Iranian ambitions and for the first time in three decades, Iranian ships ply the Suez Canal. In Afghanistan, we will shag out of town and the Iranians will be free to pick up the pieces there.

Then, we come to Syria. Not only did Obama press unsuccessfully for the Iranians to sit in on the talks between the rebels and their client Bashir Assad, the president has rope-a-doped the effort to topple the Syrian regime, giving it two years to shore itself up--when, it seemed on the verge of collapse two years ago.

With Iranian para-militaries and regulars in Lebanon, Iranian navy ships in the Mediterranean Sea and logistics skybridge over Iraqi airspace, the only flank giving the Iran-Syria axis trouble is the Sunni rebels from Syria linking up with Al Qaeda in Iraq in Anbar province.

Now, comes word that America has to return to Iraq--to back up the Iraqi Army as it clears out Anbar.

Seems like the dream scenario. For the Shiites running Iraq, the Anbar Sunnis get knocked down a peg and for Obama it is one more building block in his dream of Iran and the United States fighting side-by-side--this time bolstering a "reformed" Assad regime.

Oh, and Israel? Sorry, Kid.

-- Neil W. McCabe