CSM column on Syria

Here is the column I had in the CSM today. (It is also here.) The editors put this title on it: The time is ripe for the US to engage Syria on Mideast issues; Damascus seems willing to work with the US on the Arab-Israeli conflict and Iraq.
The timing is actually great, since Saturday will see the 12-party conference in Baghdad involving the ambassadors of Syria, Iran, all Iraq’s other neighbors, Iraq, the US, and the other permanent members of the security Council.
By the way, I also have a piece in Le Monde Diplo this month. But I don’t think you can read it online… It’s about Gen. Petraeus.
Dedicated readers of JWN will find most of the material in both these articles fairly familiar, since as you might have guessed I use the blog to archive my notes and interviews and to try out ideas in general.