Baker’s Miscalculation

[furman]

http://www.thejewishweek.com/top/editorials.php3?print=yes&anchor_num=0

(emphasis mine)

Baker’s Miscalculation

The latest Wise Men have spoken and their highly anticipated solution to the entire Mideast crisis, from Lebanon to Iraq and Iran, begins where it always seems to: with squeezing Israel.

That’s the upshot of the Iraq Study Group, headed by former Secretary of State James Baker, no friend of the Jewish state and still remembered for his four-letter take, during the Bush Sr. years, on the Zionist enterprise.

<snip>

That’s a lot of prodding and stabilizing. Of course there is a certain logic in trying negotiations when the military option is only causing more bloodshed every day, but the dirty little secret here is that the Arab world cares very little about the plight of the Palestinians — indeed Israel cares a great deal more — and the notion that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is at the center of this mess is wildly inaccurate—historically and logically.

Does it help to show the world that the Sunni-Shiite fighting that is tearing Iraq apart has gone on since the Prophet Mohammed died, or that the Arab world would be engaged in struggle whether or not Israel existed? Moreover, the problem with Palestinian-Israeli peace talks is that even when they are concluded, the Palestinians refuse to keep their part of the bargain, namely ceasing their violent attacks on Israel and accepting its permanence as a Jewish state.

Oslo proved that, and even after Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon six years ago and Gaza a year and a half ago, the result has been renewed military campaigns from those very places against Israel.

The path to Mideast stability is through Jerusalem, we are told. But that outcome would require an authentic partnership of peace. Trying to make Israel the Charmin State — irresistibly squeezable — will not solve the crisis.

[sweetheart]

1. That mummy's miscalculation was leaving his crypt

I can't forget that fat headed jerk stopping the florida recount,
standing against democracy for this or that reason,
collecting a fat paycheck for filling in an open grave.

[bullimiami]

3. how many times do you want to count the votes?

how about once you creepy plug headed bastard.

[bullimiami]

2. any representation that lays the entire blame at the feet of the palestinians

and views israel with rose colored blinders is useless.

when israel once again has a government that accepts that they are part of the problem and not just innocent bystanders they can start to talk again and work for solutions.
israel kills - palestinians kill. and nothing is solved. and nothing will be until the killing makes them sicker than the alternatives.

[msmcghee]

4. I didn't read any blaming going on in that article.

It seemed instead, to be a statement of reality - a different reality than that seen by the Baker Commission.

You can disagree with the author's view of reality - but a distorted view of that will not be a path to peace - and it's worth discussing and debating that view. So far, in the last 6 years, every withdrawal by Israel from occupied territories (in each case occupied only after years of incessant and increasing attacks against Israel from those territories when they were not occupied) has resulted in worse attacks against Israel from those territories.

What kind of world are you hoping for - where violent militaristic regimes are encouraged and appeased when they attack their neighbors' civilian populations for grievances - grievances which were the result of their past attacks on their neighbors.

I hope others following this forum can see that there is a huge difference between "left" and "liberal" in today's political landscape. I hope that any Independents following this forum know that liberals, who form the huge majority of Dems, have no intention of leaving our party's direction to misguided leftists who believe that the US should align with theocratic, misogynistic, homophobic terrorists - against democratic states that live under the rule of law, who seek peace with their neighbors and whose charters provide equal rights to its citizens.

[softwarevotingtrail]

5. Chutzpah doesn't equal the truth

Every nation on earth has its faults and shortcomings, some more than others. People who wave the flag in the U.S. and say things like "my country right or wrong" and "if you don't like it, get out" are deluded. So too are those that believe Israel is above the fray when it comes to blame. Certainly the Palestinians have made mistakes along the way. But so has Israel. Take off the blinders.