First among these is Syria. Post-election Iraq was an obvious opening for the US to place a wedge between Iran and Syria. While Iran promotes the Shia religious parties in Iraq, Syria’s interests there tilt toward secular nationalism, as represented by former prime minister Ayad Allawi’s coalition, which actually defeated Maliki in the parliamentary elections held earlier this year.
其中首当其冲的要数叙利亚。大选后的伊拉克显然已经成为了美国挑拨伊朗和叙利亚两国关系一个突破口。伊朗支持伊拉克的什叶派政党联盟，而叙利亚则倾向于前总理伊亚德·阿拉维所领导的世俗民族主义联盟。后者在今年早些时候的国会大选中的确击败了马利基。在过去7年中，叙利亚一直支持阿拉维当政，但在意识到美国和伊朗支持马利基的强大外交压力时，它也知趣地倒向了马利基。