BULLETIN No. 182

Daily Star Damascus has constructed a fantasy around Pelosi's visit
SyriaComment Pelosi’s Trip to Damascus
Pelosi Poised to Meet Syria's Assad Speaker Tours Damascus as Bush Calls Such Visits Counterproductive'
Itzik: Pelosi's trip to Syria could sway it to abandon 'axis of evil' Official: Israel asks U.S. speaker to tell Syria to stop backing terrorism; Pelosi meets families of seized soldiers.
Helena Cobban Pelosi's spring break in Syria
Syria hails Pelosi trip to Damascus Syria hailed what it called the “courageous position” taken by Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, after President George W. Bush criticised the Democrat’s trip to Damascus
US Democrat set for Syria talks
Top US Democrat Nancy Pelosi arrives in Damascus for a visit criticised by the White House undermining US policy
Defiant Pelosi to meet Assad despite Bush condemnation
Jerusalem Post Pelosi shrugges off criticism of her planned trip to Syria
Pelosi, Warmly Greeted in Syria, Is Criticized by White House
Pelosi visits market, mosque in Syria
Pelosi's controversial Syria tour continues
What's going on in Syria?
Washington Post Back to Baker-Hamilton By David Ignatius, The Baker-Hamilton report is the best framework for building a policy that is sustainable, in Washington and in Baghdad
Syria back in the Arab fold By Claude Salhani
MEMRI Mar 29 IA# 337 - Syrian Efforts to End Its Regional and International Isolation
DEBKAfile: Arab summit ending in Riyadh strengthens radical Iran and Syria and recognizes Palestinian Hamas
SyriaComment The Arab League Summit: Arabism is Back - Syria is In
Jerusalem Post 'Iran, Syria, and Hizbullah preparing for summer war' Head of IDF intel. Gen. Yadlin says allies anticipate US strike against Iran; he adds that Haniyeh is threatening to order third intifada.
Israel seeks to reassure Syria: No summer attack
IDF preparing for possible Syrian strike on Golan Gov't seeks to reassure Damascus there will be no attack this
Turkey, Syria cement cooperation
Turkey-Syria discusses energy, security

A Change in Attitude, Lebanon as a Model Abdullah Iskandar
UN chief criss-crosses Lebanon's fractious political divide Christians seek visas to flee from Lebanon Christians are fleeing from Lebanon to escape the rise of radical Islam and growing fears that the trend will result in a Sunni-Shi'ite civil war, with minority Christians trapped in the middle.
Hoping for peaceLebanese gloom as the crippling political crisis continues
Lebanon can use bipolar electoral order By Charles Rizk
Israelis plan for rematch with Hezbollah

Iraq’s Sectarian and Ethnic Violence and Its Evolving InsurgencySource: Center for Stragegic International Studies Full Paper (PDF; 1.94 MB)
New York Times What About Those Other Iraq Deadlines?
By LEON E. PANETTA Instead of dividing over the strategy on the war, the president and the Congress should make very clear to the Iraqis that there is no open-ended commitment to our involvement.
Christian Science Monitor Iraq seeks a few good Sunnis
Poor turnout at a Sunni neighborhood recruiting drive marks the challenges facing US military trainers seeking to build a balanced Iraqi force.
No Choice: Stay the Course in Iraq By: Barry R. McCaffrey Los Angeles Times
From Democratiya, an article on Iraq’s Future 101 and the failings of the Baker-Hamilton Report.
Asia Times Shi'ite power bloc in Iraq takes shape After some stormy times, young cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and the highest-ranking Shi'ite ayatollah, Ali Sistani, have connected. The swing of alliances highlights the unpredictable politics of the Shi'ite community and the ascendency of Sistani and his clerical elite in Iraq. Both Tehran and Muqtada know that Sistani should not be ignored. The US should know it too.

Independent Britain vs Iran: A high- stakes game of chess
The stand-off over the 15 British sailors and marines captured by Iran looks to be moving towards a de facto prisoner exchange, despite denials by Britain and Iran that a swap was intended
Iran's third revolution Gulf News - By Amir Taheri
From PINR, an article on the U.K.-Iran crisis: The West confronts a rising Iran.
ABC News Exclusive: The Secret War Against Iran
IRANIAN PRISONER CRISIS
Not 1979, but some lessons apply
Britain's 'softly, softly' approach, drawn from experience, appears to be yielding progress.
U.S. Strategy on Iran May Have Backfired
Britain Calls for Direct Talks With Iran

Ruling But Not Governing: Militaries in the Middle East By Steven A. Cook