Even more progress in Iraq: Syria, Iran, Basra

Just in the past several days several positive events have occurred in Iraq, demonstrating that the Iraqis finally are beginning to take their fate in their own hands.

Iraq has re-established diplomatic relations with Syria.

Iraq is about to begin talks with Iran.

The Brits say that they may hand over Basra to Iraqi forces by the spring.

I'm sure the Bush administration, the Neoconservatives, the rest of the so-called Pro-Israel Lobby, and the right-wing government of Israel cringe mightily at the thought of Iraq having peaceful relations with either Syria or Iran, but we should have a little faith that Iraqis will pursue their own best interests.

It is almost amusing how the experts and pundits in Washington, D.C. are wringing their hands over what to do with Iraq when the answer right in front of their noses is that we should let the Iraqis figure out their own plan and then offer support for their plan. The Iraqis are unlikely to make a deep and heartfelt commitment to the Neoconservative goals of the U.S. government, but they are much more likely to invest mightily in seeking their own goals and seeking peaceful relations with their neighbors. Oddly, Iraq may yet turn into a "beacon of hope" for the Middle East, albeit not the same form of beacon that the Neoconservatives and the rest of the so-called Pro-Israel Lobby originally had in mind.

The Pentagon is floating a proposal for sending more troops to Iraq, but I strongly suspect that the Iraqis will veto such a proposal and instead insist on a reduction of on-the-street foreign forces within a couple of months.

I further suspect that within six months Iraq will insist that the infamous Green Zone in Baghdad be vacated of U.S. forces and "authorities".

-- Jack Krupansky