Scathing review of The Two Smartest Men In The Room.
[Ynet] Failure to jumpstart Israeli-Paleostinian peace talks another sign of diminished US status in region
US Secretary of State John F. I was in Vietnam, you know Kerry Former Senator-for-Life from Massachussetts, self-defined war hero, speaker of French, owner of a lucky hat, conqueror of Cambodia, and current Secretary of State... 's visited the region for the fourth time since he took office in February as part of the effort to jumpstart the negotiations between Israel and the Paleostinians. But the American battery is weak, and the starter doesn't work. Kerry's efforts cannot be detached from the US' status in the region and its failed policies with regards to burning issues such as the war in Syria.
Obama's hesitant conduct in the face of the use of chemical weapons and the supply of advanced Russian missiles to Syria exposed further deterioration of Washington's position in the Middle East and the world. Putin's Russia, which seeks to reclaim its superpower status by incessantly challenging Washington's positions, senses the continued American weakness and is taking full advantage of it.
Obama and Kerry's strategy is based on two false assumptions.
Obama and Kerry's strategy is based on two false assumptions. The first is that this is the last chance to achieve peace between Israel and the Paleostinians due to the results of the revolutions throughout the Arab world, the weakening of Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason,, the weakened status of Netanyahu and the addition of politicians who support the negotiations to his cabinet -- such as Yair Lapid and Tzipi Livni. The second assumption is that the only way forward is to reach a permanent, comprehensive agreement which can and should be reached quickly.
As far as Israel is concerned, the revolutions across the Arab world have created uncertainty that does not foster a permanent peace agreement with the Paleostinians. If the continued reign of incumbent Arab leaders is uncertain, and if a new leader such as Egypt's Morsi declares his intention to amend the peace treaty with Israel, then what value does an agreement with a leader such as Abbas have?
Hamas is not weaker, and as for the new Israeli government, the Americans would be wise to read Lapid's recent interview with the New York Times ...which still proudly displays Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize... . Moreover, the Americans assumed that Obama's visit to Israel, the alleged reconciliation between Israel and Turkey and the softened Arab peace initiative would increase motivation on both sides to resume negotiations, but these developments have yet to produce the expected results.
Kerry threatens that in case the sides do not resume talks he would introduce a new American peace plan. All previous American peace initiatives have failed. Examples include the Johnson plan of 1967; Rogers in 1969; Carter in 1977; Reagan in 1982 and 1988 and Clinton in 2000. The reason for these failures was simple: The Americans presented balanced plans that demanded concessions from both sides, but each side focused on the concessions it was asked to make and ignored the benefits it would reap. The only processes that yield any results emanated from the region itself - such as the peace treaty with Egypt and the Oslo Accords.
In the past American threats carried weight, because the peace plans were accompanied by a threat that those who reject or undermine the initiatives would bear the responsibility and be penalized. Today the B.O. regime is perceived as being weak, so the threat is not treated with the same seriousness. Obama wasn't even able to convince Abbas to withdraw his demand for a settlement construction freeze before negotiations with Israel are resumed, and he also failed to persuade Turkish PM Erdogan to cancel his plan to visit Hamas-ruled Gazoo.
It seems the alternative that would help advance the peace talks consists of a significant interim agreement that would remain in effect for a period of five years. But in order to implement such a deal, the battery must be recharged and the starter must be replaced.
#6
P2K, IMO you being unfair to the chattering class: they'd be perfectly happy with something similar---provided the right people had the right end of the stick.
#7
The Israel-Palestinian peace talk process has been the LaBrea Tar Pit of diplomats and Presidents for generations now. Those that are smart will give it a wide berth. Those that are dumb will wallow in it and sink.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
05/28/2013 13:13 Comments ||
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#8
Drat, NOTHING about "Batteries", only Politicks. (As usual)
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
05/28/2013 15:54 Comments ||
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[Jpost] In the post-Holocaust era, many had predicted, mistakenly, that the world's oldest hatred would recede, even anticipating that anti-Semites would soon become an extinct species.
Participants at the fourth conference of the Global Forum for Combating anti-Semitism, held under the auspices of the Foreign Ministry this week in Jerusalem, will be provided with data highlighting the accelerated global erosion of the status of Jews and Israel.
In the post-Holocaust era, many had predicted, mistakenly, that the world's oldest hatred would recede, even anticipating that anti-Semites would soon become an extinct species. Instead, defaming Jews has emerged as the greatest global political growth industry -- a virtual tsunami. In fact we are witnessing a resurrection of the medieval paranoia which effectively blamed Jews for all the disasters of mankind.
The most concentrated venom is relentlessly directed against "the state of the Jews" (anti- Israelism) which is now the principal vehicle employed to demonize Jews. It dominates debates at the UN and other international organizations where rogue states and barbaric regimes seek to delegitimize the state of the Jews.
The bias and double standards against Israel became so intense that the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) decided to explicitly define such behavior as anti-Semitic.
#1
In the post-Holocaust era, many had predicted, mistakenly, that the world's oldest hatred would recede, even anticipating that anti-Semites would soon become an extinct species.
Only if you are one of the idiots believing that culture shapes people.
#2
Interesting difference between the European originate Socialism and the American originated Evangelicalism when it comes to the Jews and Israel. Anyone remember why we rejected the traditions of Europe to become a separate nation in the first place? /rhet question
#1
For a government that has already transcended the law what difference does it make to pass new law or even Constitutional (we'll interpret that) amendments? While they're wrecking the pillars of legitimacy of the government because most people just want to move along in their day to day existence, there is no comprehension by the vandals of what may happen that day in the future when it starts to implode as and things don't happen. No one will be there to defend their power. Why die for such a corrupt illegitimate group of power wonks and thieves. You can stuff the ballot box with all sorts of contrivances, 20th Century dictator mastered that game, however, it's the willingness to give that 'last full measure of devotion' that keeps any system in existence.
Posted by: Rob Crawford ||
05/28/2013 16:12 Comments ||
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#5
Term limits, transparent deliberation online of all legislative process, all legislation all laws must be available in their entireties for at least 3 full business days before being brought to a floor vote, all laws have a 5 year sunset, and congress has to abide by all laws they pass, no self exemptions.
#6
Except in cases of real national security... There are some deliberations which should be done behind closed doors.
Or else we can simply ask the Chinese to "cover your ears!". Isn't there another story where they asked them "Please don't hack our computers to get our defense plans."?
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
