My Way News - Syria hardens stance after deadly US raid
AP reports: "Syrian President Bashar Assad has pursued indirect peace talks with Israel and says he is open to direct talk as early as next year. Syria also has agreed to establish diplomatic ties with Lebanon - a country it used to dominate - for the first time in their history."

Comment: Syria is on an interesting trajectory and it could be that the destruction of Damascus is years away, though it's clear that Syria may fall easily into reckless behavior if the recent overtures noted in the AP report are not reciprocated.