Times are a-changing

The US mid-term Congressional election is not even a week past and all of sudden things are changing.

Remember those "Axis of Evil" countries, including Iran, George Bush spoke about a few years back? Remember Condi wouldn't meet with anyone from Syria? Well, it looks like reality has caught up with some of the political leaders in Washington and London.

The Guardian reports today:

"Tony Blair will tonight set out the terms for a "new partnership" with Iran and Syria as part of a new approach to resolving the crisis in Iraq.

The prime minister will accuse Tehran of backing terrorism in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine to thwart international efforts to block Iran's nuclear ambitions.

But, in his annual speech at the Lord Mayor's banquet in the City of London, Mr Blair will claim that if it stops such support and abides by international obligations on nuclear non-proliferation, the west could work with Iran to secure peace in the Middle East.

"In that case, a new partnership is possible," he will say.

Aides said that Mr Blair's challenge to Iran to play a more constructive role in the Middle East applies equally to Syria."

Meanwhile, this from BBC News:

Syria and Iran - two of the most vilified nations in the Bush administration's political atlas - could hold the key to saving American plans in their neighbour Iraq.

Washington may need the two regional allies to help stabilise Iraq in order to pull its own troops back from an increasingly unpopular commitment there.

But given its fraught relations with Tehran and Damascus, Washington is only likely to secure active Iranian and Syrian co-operation by paying a high price diplomatically from two countries known for their hard bargaining.

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