Stradling the fence in Syria

David W. Lesch, an experienced and savvy commentator on Syria, has just posted an insightful blog piece on Syria's unique foreign policy strategy at Foreign Policy's Middle East Channel. Lesch astutely points out that Bashar al-Asad is growing into his father's shoes (if at times rather clumsily) in regards to formulating a clever foreign policy that enhances Syria's importance in the region. By straddling the fence Syria has made inroads with the U.S. and Iran simultaneously, and has managed to maintain its credibility as a proponent of Arab nationalism. Lesch warns, however, that Bashar must tread carefully with such a policy. Follow the link to view the full article.