From Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera:  The rapprochement between Iran, Turkey and Syria is creating a new regional axis that, for all practical purposes, could replace the diminished Arab triangle of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria and transform the region in the process. …

If strengthened, the new trio could break up the US imposed moderate-extremist division of the region and instead introduce a diverse, hard to isolate new axis that is fundamentally opposed to the Israeli occupation and committed to breaking the siege of Gaza.

Each of these Middle East players bring important strategic assets to the table: Iran is an energy rich Gulf power with an important nuclear card in hand; Turkey is an emerging Euro-Asian power with NATO membership; and Syria is an Arab nation with influence in Lebanon, which could as an indispensable partner in the Arab trio, legitimise the new triangle in Arab eyes.

The three countries have maintained an open border policy which could eventually create a market of more than 150 million people. …

For the time being, Turkey’s opposition to sanctions – and any military attack on Iran – is helping Tehran to break out of Western imposed isolation and to a large extent it provides a protective shield against any major US attack with Brazilian and perhaps at a later stage, Chinese support.  (photo: Reuters)

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