Word: syria
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...both articulate a message of Iraqi national unity over ethnic or sectarian loyalties, the political contest is still fueled by the unresolved struggle over power and resources between rival communities. That contest echoes a regional power struggle, with Iraq's predominantly Sunni neighbors such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria supporting a greater share of power for Iraq's Sunnis. Allawi's list of candidates includes some of the key Sunni political players, and the self-styled strongman makes no secret of his desire to challenge Iranian influence in Baghdad. Iran would prefer that Maliki stay in power, though Tehran...
...factor determining whether sectarian warfare of one form or another will revive in Iraq is the attitude of the country's neighbors as U.S. soldiers depart. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraq has become a major battleground in the regional power struggle between Iran and Syria on the one hand and the U.S. and its Arab allies such as Saudi Arabia on the other. Right now, engagement remains the order of the day as the White House attempts to restart regional peace talks and holds open the possibility of a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear program. But should...
...Syria...
Ending a five-year diplomatic freeze, the White House nominated Robert Ford as ambassador to Syria on Feb. 16. The U.S. had removed its ambassador in 2005 to protest Damascus' possible involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. While the U.S. still disapproves of Syria's support for Lebanese militant group Hizballah, Ford's nomination indicates a renewed attempt at dialogue with the regime...
...process moribund, with Hizballah re-armed and stronger than ever and nuclear talks with Iran at a dead end, the Middle East is on the brink of a regional war that could be sparked by any number of incidents. From its air raid on a suspected nuclear facility in Syria in 2007 and the assassination of Hizballah operations chief Imad Mughniyah (which was also attributed to Mossad) in 2008 to the Dubai job, Israel - by action or by reputation - is notching up a series of scores that its Arab enemies are promising to settle...