The Fears of a Regional War

The Iraq Study Group Report, a unanimous and unflinching assessment of the war, offers 79 recommendations to the Bush administration for bringing the war to an end. Nations as diverse as Iran, Israel and the UK, which all have an interest in the conflict, do agree on one point: Few options exist for delivering stability to Iraq. So far, the US has refused to talk to Iraqi neighbors Syria or Iran. Iranian officials, downright pleased about US troubles in the region, have announced that they will extend no help to Iraq until the US sets a timetable for withdrawing troops, according to David Ignatius in “The Daily Star” of Lebanon. Israelis, according to Yakov Katz in “The Jerusalem Post,” fear that withdrawal will boost Iranian influence and spread war, giving Islamic extremists more territory and power throughout the region. Allies of the US, such as the UK, question whether the report focuses more on protecting the reputation of the US than delivering stability or considering interests of other nations with huge stakes in the Middle East, according to Rosemary Righter in “The London Times.” Troubled regions in the world depend on the US to deliver stability, not mere interference. With so many conflicts and potential conflicts afoot, the world can ill afford the risk of a divided and weakened US. – YaleGlobal