Assad inspires 'flip' theories

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TEHRAN -- Recent visits by Syrian President Bashar Assad to U.S.-allied Yemen and the United Arab Emirates are prompting speculation that Syria is seeking to leave the Iranian orbit and pursue closer ties with the West.

Such a move would fulfill a major recommendation of the Iraq Study Group, headed by former Secretary of State James A. Baker III and former Rep. Lee H. Hamilton, which suggested it might be possible through diplomacy to pry Syria away from Iran.

"Bashar was recently invited to Tehran by [President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad as part of the Iranian effort to demonstrate regional leadership -- but he failed to show up, without even offering a public excuse," said Gary Sick, a U.S. foreign policy analyst who served on the National Security Council under Presidents Ford, Carter and Reagan.

"If you put this together with the 'Obaid initiative' to mobilize Arab action to stop Iran's encroachment in Iraq, it almost has the appearance of a regionally coordinated campaign."

Nawaf Obaid was fired this month as a Saudi foreign policy adviser after publishing an article saying, among other things, that Saudi Arabia could reduce Iran's regional prominence by raising oil production high enough to slash the price by half. Oil revenues are a crucial source of foreign currency for Iran.

Mr. Assad's talks in Yemen 11 days ago reportedly dealt with regional issues, including the infighting in the Palestinian territories, instability in Lebanon, Iran's nuclear program, Iraq and Somalia.

But eyebrows were raised by the timing of the trip, which came just two days after a visit to Yemen by U.S. Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch.

"I'll leave it to President [Ali Abdullah] Saleh to convey their views to President Assad," Mr. Welch said of the timing. "They know the views of the United States."

In another apparent overture yesterday, Mr. Assad told visiting Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Republican, that he was willing to host a conference where all the factions of Iraq could seek a consensus on the country's future.

Graham Fuller, former vice chairman of the U.S. National Intelligence Council, expressed skepticism that Mr. Assad's travels represented some kind of back-channel negotiation with Washington.