You know what's so weird about this? There were a whole slew of foreign policy experts who predicted that engagement by newly inaugurated President Obama would moderate Assad and peel Syria away from Iran. And now the exact opposite is happening. Not only is Assad - by his own admission - closer to Iran than ever, but the Syrians have even returned to destabilizing Iraq and directly endangering American lives:

An al-Qaida front group said Tuesday it carried out last week's truck bombings on government targets in Baghdad, attacks that Iraq has said also involved plotters among Saddam Hussein loyalists based in Syria. As the Iraqi government tries to fend off criticism for security lapses, it has focused its anger on Syria and demanded that Damascus hand over two suspected members of Saddam's ousted Baath Party whom it has linked to the attacks.

On Tuesday, Iraq escalated the diplomatic confrontation with its neighbor by recalling its ambassador to Syria. Syria, in turn, ordered its ambassador home and said that unless the Iraqi government provided evidence, Syria would consider the claims to be fabricated "for political goals." The Aug. 19 blasts that tore through the foreign, finance and defense ministries killed more than 100 people, weakening confidence in Iraq's security forces.

I wonder if the Al Qaeda cretin who confessed that Syria trained him to fight in Iraq counts as sufficient "evidence" for Assad:

Iraq aired a confession from a suspected al Qaeda militant Sunday who accused Syrian intelligence agents of training foreign fighters like himself in a camp before sending them to fight in Iraq. The videotaped accusations, aired by Baghdad security spokesman Qassim al-Moussawi in a news conference, could worsen a row between Iraq and Syria over accusations that Syria supports Islamist militants responsible for attacks in Iraq. Iraq and Syria recalled their ambassadors last week after Baghdad demanded Damascus hand over two alleged masterminds of bombings in Baghdad that killed almost 100 people, mainly at two government ministries.

I'm thinking it must, given how exquisitely rational the regime is, per our vaunted foreign policy establishment.

References:
* US the key to Syrian rehabilitation: analysts [AFP]
* Syria And Iran Pretty Psyched About Renewed Alliance, "Resistance Front" Against US And Israel [MR]
* Iraq focuses bombings blame on operatives in Syria [AP]
* Iraq al Qaeda militant says Syria trained him [WaPo]

Previously:
* Syria Responds To Obama's Outreach By Strengthening Ties With Iran
* Aww: Al Jazeera Reports On "Real Appreciation" For Obama In Syria
* Obama's Anti-Israel Diplomacy Spectacularly Fails To Win Even A Single Arab Or Muslim Concessions