We should definitely "directly engage" Syria, as Mr. Young puts it. But not with words and less-than-meaningless pieces of paper. Let Syria consume what we tasted because of them this year, and far far more. No more "messages" or "warnings." Just fight to win, because it's all they will ever settle for.

A left leaning "think" tank which parrots the traditional pro-Arab tilt in the State Department in regards to Israel. Syria is a meglomaniacracy, run by a nutcase with a weak chin and delusions of grandeur. Not a peace partner in our time even for a "Peace in our time" crowd.

More & more delusional BS that will only invite more & more aggression. Face realiy - Syria is our enemy & we will be the losers in any negotiations (code for giving the Golan to Syria for nothing in return). Unbelievable the intellectual gymnastics these morons will go thru to defend ideas that anyone with common sense can see are wrong. What a fool!

What's this? Academics started taking pages out of show business playbook? No matter how you do it but keep your name in the news? The only engagement with Syria should've been via F-16s and Merkavas. Does Young's policy analysis consider that Arabs' main pleasure in life is revenge? That as long as they manage to stay alive they declare victory and are even more committed to revenge? Supid Americans: look at Condi Rice, she's got a PhD but knows nothing.

Olmert: you can sell your wife sons and daughter if you wish Just don't sell whatever is left of Israel

I believe that we should have talks and achieve peace with Syria, but without giving away our beloved golan heights. We should offer them, trade, money loans, aid, stuff like that, so they can progress. But if they don't want that, and if they are willing to go to war with us, I believe that the IDFcan crush Syria and Hizbullah all together if the PM allows the IDF to fight a war with no restrains nor restrictions!

Israel must give the Golan sooner or later; Isarel annexed the Golan by NO country in the WOLRD has recognozed that.

Good God, no truly logical man would ever give those poisonous, knife-in-the-back weasels from Damascus anything of value. Have they done anything to earn any degree of trust over the years? They have always been your blood-enemies and always will be.

Syria will only consider a deal if it feels weak and that there is no alternative. Syria currentlt feels strong because of it's recent success in the war against Israel via Lebanon.

Young tells us what he (and his ilk in both the left and right) want the US to get in return for bringing Bashar to the table. What he doesn't talk about (and therefore what he is prepared for the US to give Bashar) are: 1. The squashing of investigations and prosecution of the perps responsible for the political assassinations and attempted assassinations in Lebanon, thereby ensuring the survival and legitimacy of Bashar and his thugs. 2. A free hand for Bashar to continue to meddle in Lebanese affairs leading towards Syria's annexation of Lebanon as a Syrian province. Maybe the US rendition policy ought to be extended to include David Young who clearly needs to spend a year or so in one of Bashar's jails before being allowed to offer us any more of his US (or Israeli) foreign policy proposals. I'd love to hear what Mr. Young would suggest about engaging Bashar after being on the receiving end of a year's worth of torture in one of Bashar's dungeons.

I understand things look black and white in your part of the world. So here's some color for you: Israel defeated the enemy who started a war of agression against her. As a winner it annexed part of the enemy's territory. Every victor in the history of the world has done that. What, you think Iowa was forever a white Christian state? Is the US an entirely legitimate country? Is Northern Ireland a legitimate part of UK? Are California and Texas legitimate parts of the US? Do you know where CA and TX come from? If no country in the world recognizes the right of Israel to be a winner in a defensive war then f...k the world. In fact, Israel should inform every Arab country in the region that if an attempt is made to "wipe Israel off the map" by any regional power, ALL of the regional powers will be considered responsible and ALL will bear the consequences of an Israeli military response, by whatever means. THAT is what arabs and the rest of the world respect (witness the adulation of Hitler and Stalin by the Arab world), and THAT is the only thing that has a potential to bring a long-lasting peace to the ME.

The discerning readers all know that Israel launched a PREEMPTIVE strike to grab the Golan in 67. Then when Syria got it back in 73 Israel launched again to grab it AFTER the agreed ceasefire. Stop being such a war monger.

When military actions fail try diplomacy. Play nice for a change.

I realize in 1973 Egypt Syria hoped to fight a united front war with Israel but it lacked co ordination which we all knew it would did lack results as expected in Iraq we knew America had these new cruise missiles smart bombs results as expected good bye Saddam Hussein hello coaltion occupation but we KNEW America lacked understanding how to occupy Iraq as did England in the old League of Nations era which by the way manner is Israeli Palisteinian roots also too results over 2 700 American casualtys America divided over it thus June 2006 we KNEW Israel lacked experience as Gaza kidnaping then Lebanon terrorists double kidnaping we KNEW results would be when Israel launched its destroy Hisbalah invasion incursion in to southern Lebanon December 2 we KNEW we would read more peace iniatives so as the December 7 th America Pearl Harbor Memorial Day approaches EXACTLY WHAT DO WE KNOW ZILCH NADA NOTHING about any Israel Syria war except David Ben Gurion told us there was is was hope for the future this includes 2006 2007 so happy holidays entire world RIGHT ??? THANK YOU... M. Segal