This is quite the opportune time to make a deal with Syria.



This is not in the spirit of make nice with the poor, misunderstood Syrians. It is more in the spirit of making Bashar Assad an offer he cannot refuse.



It may not appear optimistic to expect the Syrian president to reach a peace accord with Israel, but conditions exist that allow for a pact that will give Israel the best bang for its buck.



Assad is surely well aware that more than 100,000 American troops are now deployed next door in Iraq, where the United States just dismantled another dangerous dictatorship. He must know that Syria is now in a precarious position. Unfortunately for Israel, there is no guarantee that American troops will remain in Iraq forever. If that was the case, there would be no need to negotiate, but to dictate terms to Assad.



True, Assad is playing games right now. In so many words, he is setting pre-conditions for talks that Israel and Syria return to where they left off, which means giving them back the Golan Heights. Also true, Israel President Moshe Katsav?s offer to Assad to visit Jerusalem as a first step toward peace was swiftly rejected by Syria. Assad probably figures that he has no reason to make a deal - despite his desire to get help from the United States ? unless he can push Israel to give him the Golan Heights and more.



There is a way to make him think differently. In the spirit of a certain Marlon Brando character, President Bush could remind him about all those men and women in military uniforms in that country on Syria?s eastern border.



If Assad has any guts, he might tell Bush that he cannot keep troops in Iraq forever.



Maybe not, Bush will respond, but have you ever thought of fighting a two-front war? Would he take on Americans from Iraq and Israelis from the south? Perhaps between now and the day the troops leave Iraq there could be an invasion from the east. Remember that what happened to Saddam Hussein could happen to you.



For the record, I have been against the invasion of Iraq, because the administration and Congress could not establish a clear enough need for it. Congress rushed into authorizing the attack and members of Congress did not take the time to assess the risks. This is not to say that the invasion was not necessary, but to this day I still do not understand it. However, since the assault on Iraq is now fact, full advantage should be taken. Enough pressure on Syria could be applied to compel Assad to deal seriously with Israel.



Assad must get something out of it, but not necessarily the entire Golan Heights. In return, a system must be devised to assure peace and a strong economic and diplomatic relationship between Israel and Syria, which will last long after American troops leave Iraq.



Is it worth a try?