Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) wrote an op-ed piece in the June 5, 2008 edition of The Wall Street Journal entitled, "It's Time to Talk to Syria." They demonstrate how reading the facts incorrectly, concluding the impossible is possible, and prescribing poor policy, can indeed be a bipartisan effort.

More disturbing is that Kerry - the former 2004 presidential hopeful - and Hagel both serve on the Senate's committee on Foreign Relations, and Hagel is also on the committee on Select Intelligence.  Their conclusions are neither intelligent nor practical.

They admit: "The ultimate challenge – moving Syria away from its marriage of convenience with Iran – will certainly not happen overnight. But it's telling that Iran lobbied Syria not to negotiate with Israel and that Syria decided to proceed regardless."  This is actually not too telling.  It is merely Bashar al-Asad's way of turning the world's attention away from his gains in Lebanon and the string of assassinations his regime has perpetrated there including Rafiq al-Hariri's murder.

Kerry and Hagel make the mistake of suggesting that "President George W. Bush should offer direct support for the Israeli-Syrian initiative."  This would instead remove all external pressure off of Syria and give them a reward for actively supporting the Sunni insurgency in Iraq.  Sometimes real sticks must be offered to those who kill Americans - rather than carrots in return for a process that essentially leaves Asad off of the hook.

"While Syria must crack down on the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad claims positive steps have not been rewarded," they write.  Yes, Asad claims that his positive steps have not been rewarded.  What he wants is a reward for not attacking coalition troops in Iraq; a reward for not reforming his own economy; a reward for not assassinating Lebanese political figures; a reward for not building nukes.

This is absurd: Asad wants to be rewarded for taking steps that benefit him. It's like an enemy demanding a reward for breathing while threatening to commit suicide.

Using the right facts leads Kerry and Hagel to the wrong conlusions: "The U.N. tribunal investigating the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, which may soon issue indictments, is also creating pressure on the regime. If government officials are implicated, Syria could face increased international sanctions. The tribunal's pursuit of justice must never be a bargaining chip, but it adds an incentive to improve relations that we should capitalize on."

Syria must be held to account for their actions and they never have.  Their incentive to improve relations is precisely how they are using the tribunal as a bargaining chip.  Engaging with Damascus now with the false expectation that they want to improve relations is a very bad idea.  It has long been proven that Asad does not want to improve relations with the West; he wants to improve the stability of his regime and continue to meddle in the affairs of his neighbors.

It is simply bad policy to reward Syria with face-to-face talks for trying to conceal its nuclear program.  Kerry and Hagel argue that the problem is that American carrots have not been sweet enough.  I argue that American and Western sticks have not been strong enough.

The time is not ripe to talk to Syria.  The time is right to send them a simple message: The path you are on is one that will lead to your downfall.  Change your path for your own well-being.