Not much will stop the right from insisting that the Obama administration’s outreach to Syria is undone by the Syria insurgent "pipeline" to Iraq re-opening, but take a look at this Friday late-afternoon message from the White House about continuing "the blocking of property of certain persons and prohibited the exportation or re-exportation of certain goods to Syria":

Because the actions and policies of the Government of Syria continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, the national emergency declared on May 11, 2004, and the measures adopted on that date, on April 25, 2006, in Executive Order 13399, and on February 13, 2008, in Executive Order 13460, to deal with that emergency must continue in effect beyond May 11, 2009. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1622(d), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared with respect to certain actions of the Government of Syria.

My God, a carrot and stick approach! Like a mature administration would present to a distrusted government with whom it was exploring improved relations! The Syrians can do with this what they will, and the administration is gearing to act accordingly.

Crossposted to The Streak.