UK's Syria move has cue for Obama

During the last eight years, the Bush administration has consistently attempted to isolate Syria; this was especially the case following the US invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq.

But along with other failed policies, US President George W. Bush and his team couldn't succeed in either changing the regime inside Syria or stopping others from directly talking to it. Case in point is Tuesday's visit of UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband to Damascus, the first by a senior British official since 2001. At the least, this visit signalled a new start in Syria-Britain relations, which have been strained for five years.

Miliband emphasised the importance of Syrian cooperation on border security with Iraq as well as Damascus's efforts to strike a peace deal with Israel.

Indeed, Syria should play a stabilising role in the future of the Middle East. In that regard, the Obama administration must engage Syria directly and constructively.