Maliki, Assad meet in Damascus

Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki is in Damascus to meet with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Their meeting will touch on a number of issues -- water, economics, politics -- but will probably focus on security. And that appears to be a point of conflict between the two countries.

Before his trip, Maliki told reporters that the Iraqi insurgency is "coming from our neighbors." But Thabet Salem, a Syrian political commentator, says Assad will probably tell Maliki he can't do any more to secure the border.

"They have deployed 14,752 soldiers alongside the borders, 500 or more posts are observing the borders, while the Iraq have done absolutely nothing, along with the Americans, on their side of the borders," he said.

"The Syrians will exploit the visit to tell Maliki 'please stop doing these allegations, you have to do something, we have done what we can'."

The two men will also discuss a possible oil pipeline from Iraq to the Mediterranean, and Iraq's frequent complaints that Syrian dams are drying up the Euphrates.