The geographical illiteracy of much of the US population is something of a joke both in-and outside of the United States. But it’s a shame that it’s shared by so much of its media, particularly when they’re frequently sending reporters to distant lands.
For their assistance:
Distance from Baghdad, IraqTehran (Iran)442 milesDamascus (Syria)466 milesWashington DC (U.S.A)7000 miles (approx)
or to put it another way, where is the USA on a typical map of the middle east.
So which country should we be surprised has been invited to a regional summit to discuss Iraqi security?
(In response to an NPR story based on this, but seemingly expressing surprise that Iran and Syria had been invited to a regional meeting)