US Foreign Policy 'New Turn' Leaving Many Wondering

The New US Foreign Policy 'Turn' convening Iran and Syria to a conference on the stabilisation of Iraq is taking its closest allies and puppet governments in the ME by surprise.

Lebanese Sanyura's US/Saudi puppet government and its champions on the Lebanese Political scene are afraid they might be 'Sedotta e Abbandonata' by the US once again - it happened in the past- in favor of talks and normalisation of relations with Syria. Rice had to reassure former militia leader and present leader of the pro-Sanyura government March 14th movement, Walid Jumblatt, that Lebanon is still dear and close to her heart (as when it was bombarded by Israel and its children dying by the hundreds).

Les Libanais redoutent les conséquences d'une reprise de contact entre Washington, Damas et Téhéran
LE MONDE 02.03.07

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In its March 3rd electronic edition (link not available yet), Le Monde publishes an article Titled: 'Iraq: Paris is cautious (circumspect) towards US diplomatic turn'. The article author, Nathalie Nougayrède, reminds us that Chirac became very close to US policy on matters related to Lebanon. In addition, the personal and close ties Chirac entertains with some Lebanese anti-Syrian Politicians supported by the US, like Saad Hariri, have contributed to France's isolation from Syria and the Middle East scene the US seems to be opening now.
Meanwhile, the six members of the UN security council have agreed on a framework for another resolution on Iran if it does not stop enriching Uranium. They seem to be heading for specific economic sanctions which can become more and more constraining for Iran.

Les Six sont "d'accord sur le cadre" d'une nouvelle résolution sur le nucléaire iranien
LEMONDE.FR 02.03.07

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It is no coincidence that this agreement of the UN security council comes at a moment the US is inviting Tehran to a conference on Iraq. In exchange for showing a will to stabilise Iraq and talk with Syria and Iran, the US was able to extract from the members of the security council an agreement of principle on future sanctions against Tehran. If Iraq is not stabilised, the US, who had a hard time making the case against Iran, will at least complain about Iran's uncooperativeness in the Iraqi dossier and push further the case of Iran helping the Iraqi insurgency. Tehran's decision about the conference on Iraq is not known yet, and the US made it clear that the question of Iran's nuclear program will not be discussed neither weighed in during the Iraq talks. Iran is cornered. Should it participate or not, its role in the stabilisation of Iraq and the US's willingness to implicate Iran in this process are now a public opinion matter and the US will make sure to pin the blame on Iran turning public opinion in the west against Iran when it comes to justify the situation in Iraq. It seems that the US has at least set the stage for Iran, which is to exert continuous and increasing constraints, including the increased military presence in the Gulf, manufacturing a consensus both inside the US and outside on the international scene against Iran. The goal will be to weaken and isolate Iran on the regional and international scenes while making the case against it more stronger.

In this context, the invitation sent to Iran and Syria for a conference on Iraq appears to me more about Iran then it is about Iraq. It is part of the US maneouvers to keep Iran pressured while appearing at the world stage as willing to talk. We should not therefore expect any miltary action against Iran soon but surely escalation in the threats and the sanctions. Unable to go to war against Iran, the US has chosen to weaken it before any military action, while appearing at the same time to be outside a logic of war by inviting Iran to talks on Iraq...The conference on Iraq is more than two years late and is likely to produce nothing for the Iraqi people.
Le Monde's Corine Lesne published an analysis of the US strategy toward Iran on february 17th in which she argues that the US is trying to 'strangle' Iran economically as it did against Hamas, North Korea, and recently Sudan.
Lesne concludes:
''Affaiblis sur le plan politique et militaire, les Etats-Unis entendent utiliser la puissance qui reste entière : Wall Street.'' which translates: weakened politically and miltarily, the US wants to use against Iran the power that is still theirs, Wall Street.

There is no turn in the recent moves we are witnessing in US foreign policy. What we are witnessing is an administration weakened abroad and at home, trying to pursue its belligerant policy by other means, even if it means doing so on the expanse of the stability of the entire ME. I did not discuss the frenetic diplomatic intiatives of Saudi Arabia because I think they are irrelevant. They are dictated by Bush and Co and intended to lull the defiance, suspicion and mistrust the Arab public opinion hold now against the US and its closest ally in the region, Saudi Arabia.

In light of all this I can say that I am not among the wonderers ! And I predict another turn when the time will come this administration will feel stronger enough to wage a military war Iran . And everybody, including the dovish left and anti-war movements worldwide, will be taken by surprise ! We should not look for TURNS in US policies in the ME right now, we should look for logical continuities and how an administration which is weak, both on the domestic and international fronts, is building the case for another illegal war in the ME. This is not a turn in foreign policy, this is political deception !