Enemies Everywhere!!!

It wasn't too long ago (and probably is still the case in some circles) that one couldn't follow right-wing radio, TV, or papers without reading about how Iran and Syria were the real threats in the Middle East. As soon as we smacked them around properly, we were told, the rest of the Middle East would fall in line (just like what happened after we saved Iraq). Now, aside from the usual neocon faces (several of whom have regular columns in the NY Post... like Amer Tahiri, a Chalabi-caliber con man), the rhetoric is slowly dying off(*).

(*Lou Dobbs-style anti-immigrant populism seems to be replacing terrorism as the top right-wing fear)

This is largely explained, to me, by the fact that the administration is no longer totally stacked by Cheney-ites willing to outright lie and bamboozle the public about these issues. Gone are the Rumsfelds and Wolfowitzes and Perles, replaced by (comparatively) sane management types. And so-- as the with recent NIE release-- a little reality is seeping through.

Now what follows here is not an endorsement of these countries and their leadership, nor an ignoring of the incredibly complex nature of these situations, or that of international affairs in general. Simply consider it an antidote to the wild-eyed rhetoric we usually get.

Via the Washington Times (no doves they), encouraging news-

Iran's leaders are no longer supplying weapons or training to Islamic militants in Iraq, the spokesman for the top U.S. commander in Iraq told The Washington Times.

Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, sees Iran as following through on assurances it made to Iraqi and U.S. officials last fall not to assist extremists in Iraq, spokesman Col. Steven Boylan said, adding that other U.S. officials have noted declines in Iranian weapons and funds to Iraqi insurgents.

"We are ready to confirm the excellence of the senior Iranian leadership in their pledge to stop the funding, training, equipment and resourcing of the militia special groups," Col. Boylan said. "We have seen a downward trend in the signature-type attacks using weapons provided by Iran."...

I'd add that the initial reports on Iranian weapons in Iraq which began early last year were never that conclusive or impressive to begin with (and administration officials were always half walking away from them), so if Petraeus and co are saying this, this narrative is lost.

Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, says "I would be the first one to support these relations [with the United States]... Of course we never said the severed relations were forever. But for the time being, it is harmful and we should not pursue it." Not exactly 'Death to America'.

And in regards to Syria, the CNS news service reports that-

General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, is crediting efforts by the Syrian government, along with stepped-up counter-terrorism activities in other Arab states, with cutting the flow of al Qaeda terrorists entering Iraq.

This change in Syrian behavior has occurred at a time when the Iraqi government and the regime of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad have been increasing their diplomatic and economic engagement, and when relations between Jordan and Syria also have been warming...

Again, none of this is to imply that Mideast tensions have calmed down (impossible until there is an Israeli-Palestinian agreement), but rather just a look at what diplomatic overtures can achieve in place of bellicose warmongering.

Not a bad lesson for voters to keep in mind when deciding between candidates.