Syrians for Bush

Reghida Dergham writes in Dar al-Hayat sees Syria's border moves as a sign the Damascus regime both hopes for and expects a Bush victory in November:

"Damascus decided that it would be best for it to comply with Washington's demands, the latter being more important to it than Paris. Damascus understood the demands as relating first and foremost to Iraq, then to Palestine vis-à-vis Palestinian organizations in Syria, and least importantly to Lebanon.

"That is why Syria was quick to fulfill its obligations regarding border cooperation and coordinating intelligence efforts within the trilateral American-Iraqi-Syrian mechanism. Syria was quick to cooperate on a very important demand having to do with the discovery of funds in Syria belonging to individuals or organizations with links to activities in Iraq, regardless of whether those activities are termed terrorism or resistance. The American Secretary of State Colin Powell revealed that his meeting with the Syrian foreign minister Farouk Sharaa touched on specific names and funds which Damascus promised to investigate with complete transparency.

"Syrian diplomatic assessments are that a 'qualitative shift' in relations with the American administration opens the door to a new approach to negotiations with Israel in addition to closing the door on the campaign against it and on calls for regime change in Syria."