But they may not want to see Iraq dissolve into all-out civil war, either. A regional firestorm could engulf them as well, and send waves of refugees their way.

So it may be that the United States, the government of Iraq and the regimes in Syria and Tehran could have a common interest in keeping he lid on the civil war in Iraq. One way to find out might be for the United States to talk to its enemies in Damascus and Tehran.

Maybe nothing could come of these talks. Maybe the gulf between the United States and its enemies is too broad to bridge. But no one will know unless the talks occur.

The U.S. State Department reacted with mild indignation to word that the president of Iraq would meet with the president of Iran, and that the president of Syria also had been invited. Apparently, Bashir Asad, the Syrian president, will not attend.

The State Department said, through a spokesman, that what matters is deeds, not talk, and that if Syria is serious about helping matters in Iraq it would seal its borders to insurgents who seek to bring down the Iraqi government.

Washington also would obviously be grateful if Iran quit meddling in Iraq by sponsoring Shiite political parties and militias there.

But the U.S. go-it-alone policy in Iraq has not been particularly successful. Maybe Washington should talk to Iraq's neighbors about the future of the neighborhood. In addition to longtime U.S. allies Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, that would include Syria and Iran.

The governments of the Middle East are masterful at playing double games. They have had to do that because of the long history of imperialism in the region, which often required them to play great powers from the West against each other.

So the Americans, who are not well schooled in the local cultures and politics, might have difficulty figuring out all the players and their agendas.

But common interests have a way of bringing antagonists together. Maybe it's time for the United States to test whether any of Iraq's neighbors have a reason to make common cause in the interest of holding Iraq together.

U.S. go-it-alone policy in Iraq has not been particularly successful. Maybe Washington should talk to Iraq's neighbors about the future of the neighborhood.