U.S. to Continue Sending Palestinians Aid

[Scurrilous]

U.S. to Continue Sending Humanitarian Aid to the Palestinians Despite Hamas Win, Envoy Says

<snip>

"The United States will continue sending humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people even after a Hamas government is formed, a senior U.S. envoy told Palestinian leaders during the first high-level meeting between the two sides since Hamas' election victory.

State Department envoy David Welch said the U.S. continues "to be devoted to the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people and we shall remain so."
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Welch told Palestinian officials that U.S. aid would be redirected, but Welch did not specify how.

Erekat noted that hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. aid flow directly into infrastructure projects every year, and not into Palestinian government coffers.

"We urged the U.S. administration to continue helping the Palestinian people, as it did in previous years," Erekat said after the meeting. "They have never transferred a single dollar to the Palestinian Authority directly. The money was being transferred via non-governmental organizations."

more

[mom cat]

1. Condi couldn't find anyone to back her in punative measures.

[cliss]

2. I hope every single member of the DU reads this

post. This article has big implications for US foreign policy.

Here's why: about 1 month ago, the US found itself in the despicable position of loudly proclaiming "Democracy" around the world, let freedom reign, and so on. Amazingly, the world did just that. In the most recent elections in Pakistan, Hamas won. What to do now? Well, this election doesn't count, said the Hypocritical State Department.

Some articles surfaced that told of how "the US and Israel were going to sabotage for Hamas". Apparently, they were going to overthrow Hamas and force a new election, more to their liking.

In addition, CondaLiar Rice was sent over to convince all the Middle East countries to cut off Palestinians. What happens? They all tell her to go stuff it. They're still going to continue funding them.

Moral of the Story: Look at how the US recants. We fold when the pressure gets too hot. It also means that we're without principles.

This in fact is a sign of weakness, not strength.

[rodeodance]

3. yes, Condi 'diplomacy' was not worth a sack of s........

...This in fact is a sign of weakness, not strength.

[MrPrax]

4. Like Hell It is...

It's the US obligation to continue to 'finance' the PA--period.

The US policy here was ridiculous, but here the policy is at least sensible.

What are you proposing? Starving the 'Palestianians' or something...

[Warren Stupidity]

6. Pakistan? Palestine. nt.

[cliss]

8. oops, thankx W&R.

Big difference!

[Wordie]

10. If they hadn't insisted on such a short-sighted policy in the first place,

they wouldn't have been embarrassed and needed to recant, by realizing, after talking to actual middle easterners, how dumb and hypocritical and insensitive it made them look. Let's hope someone on this trip really listened, so maybe we can prevent this sort of nonsense in the future.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. US government funding a group it labels as "terrorist"

Yer either with us, or yer agin us...:rofl:

Seems the world is more complicated than all that, eh?

[Warren Stupidity]

7. The funny thing about Hamas

is that the Israelis initially encouraged Hamas as an alternative to the leftist hardline PLO. Like our efforts in Afghanistan, the blowback from the fundaloon islamic right that we helped to develop was a bit on the unanticipated side.

[Wordie]

11. There are some interesting ideas

on how Hamas might change, now that it's got the responsibilities of governing:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=117123&mesg_id=117123

[PhilipShore]

9. The Repukes will not cooperate with terrorists; but...

they routinely cooperate with nations that support and fund terrorists?