US meets resistance on isolating Hamas

[Warren Stupidity]

By Farah Stockman, Globe Staff | February 25, 2006

WASHINGTON -- The US effort to isolate the Palestinian militant group Hamas has suffered serious setbacks in recent days, as countries around the world have expressed a reluctance to block financial aid and rule out diplomatic ties with the group.

Hamas leaders have been invited to visit senior officials across the Middle East, as well as in Turkey and Russia, following its election victory last month. China joined the more predictable Arab nations of Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt this week in offering assistance to a Hamas-led government. Even the European Union, which has closely coordinated with Washington on the issue, was searching on its own for ways to keep the Palestinian Authority afloat after Hamas takes control of it.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters yesterday that there was still an international consensus that Hamas needs to be pressured to renounce violence, recognize Israel, and sign on to a US-backed peace plan, although State Department officials later acknowledged there were differences on the best way to accomplish this.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/02/25/us_meets_resistance_on_isolating_hamas/

Another stunning diplomatic victory for Team Bush!

[MasonJar]

1. How many democratically elected governments have we tried

to overthrow? (Please count our own.)

[Warren Stupidity]

2. Per year? nt.

[neweurope]

3. *g* n/t

-----------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[lovuian]

4. America isn't the only people with money... UAE Egypt Iran

Venuzuela Russia if Bush doesn't want to give them money so be it

He doesn't control the world from our pocketbook anymore...

[rodeodance]

5. Well, Condi------what you going to do now--failed diplomacy.

[rodeodance]

6. China joined the more predictable Arab nations--also. Oil speaks.

......... China joined the more predictable Arab nations of Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt this week in offering assistance to a Hamas-led government.

[EuroObserver]

9. ...Meanwhile, Israeli govt. continue killing spree:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4745908.stm

[Behind the Aegis]

10. .

:eyes:

[LynnTheDem]

11. "...soldiers opened fire at group of protesters throwing stones."

Oh wait, we mustn't EVER say a word against Israel and her right to "defend" herself.

:eyes:

[EuroObserver]

12. .

Thanks for that, Lynn. :-(

[Behind the Aegis]

14. .

Oh wait, we can't EVER say that actual violence against Israelis is repugnant because it's "understandable."

:eyes:

[LynnTheDem]

16. But most of us CAN say it's repugnant for BOTH sides.

It isn't Palestine that's in violation of dozens of UN resolutions. It isn't Palestine using gunships and tanks and trained soldiers with top-class weaponry.

Gee, maybe there are TWO sides...

[Behind the Aegis]

17. Ya think?

It isn't Israel blowing up people in pizza places or malls. But, don;t that let you stop thinking that there are TWO sides.

:eyes:

[LynnTheDem]

18. There are indeed TWO sides.

So sad some are unable to see that.

Have a nice day! :hi:

[Behind the Aegis]

20. That is obvious...

...I have read many of your posts.

:hi:

[rodeodance]

7. do you think Condi needs to call for help from karen Hughes?- te he

[MrPrax]

8. Don't you notice...

that after 6 years--nobody ever gets fired in the Bush Admin. and the press never dissects basic competencies.

Has Rice done a single thing that could be construed as a 'success'?

[Wordie]

13. Well, she dresses for it. nt

[Critters2]

29. Democracy is a bitch!

Whose idea was this, anyway?

:patriot:

[sandnsea]

15. Force them to govern

We've been given a golden opportunity, and these people are so pig-headed they can't see it. Force Hamas to implement a good government in the Palestinian area, stop the violence, meet with Israel, become world citizens. It's what they always said they wanted, well now they got it. No more excuses, time to put up.

[IndianaGreen]

19. Who is forcing whom? The US? You must be joking!

The only "pig-headed" people I see are Americans that believe in a sort of divine mission to rule the world, or in those that believe that a mythical being bestowed upon them some real estate.

One cannot speak of democratic elections and then turn around and condemn the results!

I am confident Israel will go ahead with a peace settlement, a unilateral if need be, if Kadima wins the March elections as the polls predict.

The US, and the terrorism engendered by US policies, are the only impediment to peace in the Middle East.

[sandnsea]

24. Really?

Then you agree that Bush did the right thing in 2001 when he withdrew from negotiating the peace process?

[IndianaGreen]

25. The US has seldom been an honest broker in the Middle East

Even the much ballyhooed Camp David Accord failed to deal with the Palestinian question.

The US has been a party to the oppression of the Palestinians, rather than a neutral party. The answer is simple: better to get campaign contributions from Jewish contributors than to risk losing that by taking a neutral stance.

[megatherium]

32. Do the Israelis hand out more cash than the Saudis? nt

[Warren Stupidity]

22. How exactly are we going to force Hamas to do anything?

By the way Hamas is one side of the equation. Does Israel have to do anything here?

[sandnsea]

23. Hold them to account

Set goals. Meet goals. Build trust. Move forward. Both sides.

[IndianaGreen]

26. That hasn't worked in the past!

There is always some Israeli or Palestinian kook that will commit an act of violence just to derail the peace process, sometimes it is an ambitious Israeli politician walking through the Noble Sanctuary or a suicide bomber in a bus, but there is always somebody.

Let the US withdraw from the Middle East altogether, bring the troops home now, and let the people in the region either resolve their differences or continue with their foolishness.

[sandnsea]

28. Hamas has never been the government in the past

And let's withdraw from all of Africa while we're at it, and see how long it takes for the left to start demanding interventions to stop the genocides. Bitch bitch bitch bitch. Easy to do when you never have to offer up a plan and take the consequences for its success or failure.

[IndianaGreen]

30. And now that Hamas is the government, BUTT OUT!

This white man's burden of our claiming to know what is best is nothing but colonialism redux.

Thanks to Bush, by the time our troops return from Iraq defeated and demorilized, the American people will demand a return to isolationalism and will have no more of these games we play in the Middle East and elsewhere.

[sandnsea]

31. Right

Like I said, until the next genocide when the entire left blames whatever administration is in office for not caring because it's just a bunch of *insert minority group*.

And the US has never been isolationists. The country was founded on trade. We've been intervening militarily since 1805 when Jefferson sent ships to north Africa. You think the American people will support "isolationism"?? No coffee, chocolate, bananas, and whatever other products we import?

Ignoring the rest of the world isn't an option, it never has been.

[leesa]

21. So UAE doesn't recognize Israel = GOOD; Palestine doesn't recognize

Israel = BAD


These fools have so tied themselves into knots! Hate it when that democracy thing actually IS democracy and the people we don't like are swept into power.

[VegasWolf]

27. No new tax-payer paid shoes for Kindasleezy this week. nt