Terrorism in Syria is indeed rare, but in just the last 10 days the country has experienced a number of unexplained explosions associated with terrorist activities. The government in Damascus remains tight-lipped as ever, though statements made by Syrian President Bashar Assad allude to the origins of those attacks emanating from Salafist groups based in northern Lebanon.

If there is one country that has been all over the news lately, it is Syria. In fact between President Bashar Assads charm offensive to the West (real or not), Syrian troops amassing near the Lebanese border, a terror attack in Damascus, it seems that today things are shaking up in Syria. But the difficulty of reading into this imbroglio is growing by the day: more players, more incidents, more drama.

The Cold War between Syria and Saudi Arabia playing itself out in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli is taking the Lebanese crisis into unchartered territories where all the microcosms of inter-Arab animosity are vying for power in Lebanon.

AMMAN -- Syria is speculating that a suicide bombing last weekend in Damascus was carried out by member of an Islamist extremist group who had arrived from a neighboring country, Syrian authorities say, possibly newly placing the country in the line of fire of al-Qaida or an affiliate.

Should Israels charismatic Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni manage to surmount the odds and succeed within the next 40 days to form a government she will become the next prime minister of the state of Israel.

The indirect negotiations between Syria and Israel that began last May have gone as far as they can. Their purpose -- to break the ice between the two states after eight years of not talking, and to test one anothers resolve over certain issues -- has been achieved. Now, Syrian President Bashar Assad wants to move forward, as evidenced in his proposal to Israel for direct peace talks at a recent four-way summit in Damascus involving Syria, Turkey, France and Qatar.

It was not enough for Syria to break out of international isolation. Now it is claiming the laurels of peacemaker and the status of a key player in the Greater Middle East.

Iran seems to be gaining ground and influence in the Levant, much to the detriment of the United States, its European allies and pro-democracy movements in the region. Indeed, recent developments in the Middle East have not unfolded entirely in favor of the United States or its other ally in the region, Lebanon.

PARIS -- President Nicolas Sarkozys visit to Damascus this month confirms the failure of his policy of isolating the regime of President Bashar Assad.

AMMAN -- Syria took international center stage Thursday as the isolated country stepped into the spotlight to host a major four-way summit that implicitly recognized the political weight of President Bashar Assad as a pivotal player in negotiations to establish peace and stability in the turbulent Middle East.