America screwed up the situation by their overly confrontational attitude when progress was being achieved, so yes, America is expected to clean up after itself.
Except, of course, that the only thing America was leading was planes. America had no inclination whatsoever to get troops on the ground for fear of casualties, unlike other countries. The consequence being that American can mostly claim responsibility for collateral damage.
Leading in terms of ego and military spending, but little else.
It’s good to get some sense that at least a fence-straddling power is getting involved (a cite to back this up wouln’t hurt), but I still think that, without some significant power (political, economic, or otherwise) that is MOSTLY committed to the Palestinian cause of self-determination, what will convince the Palestinian people that whatever agreement might be reached is enough in their interests to drop their end of the violence. Is there any nation (an Arab oil power, for instance) that would fill this role?
Thanks for the link, Beagle. I obviously was hazy on some important details of the history, but it’s good to know that I wasn’t completely out of my mind in understanding that there was some disagreement between the US and Britain over the destiny of Jews in Palestine.
I don’t understand this either. Where else would the pro-Israel lobby turn, if not to the Republican front-runner? That’s if there is such a thing as the pro-Israel lobby in the first place…it might better be described as an anti-militant lobby.
IF the EU was a unified body this would be true, but since it is not… Humbug yourself. The opinions of the US people may differ (and often do), but the individual states act as one nation. This is simply not true for the EU. Apples and Oranges.
Anyone want some stray rumors? My sources here inside the Beltway are telling me that the “next” item on this Administration’s plate is actually Israel, and the Israelis are not going to be pleased.
You’ll note that the State Department is going to present a plan to Palestinian and Israeli negotiators next week. Great swaths of the plan are–supposedly–non-negotiable.
According to the rumblings I’ve heard, this plan isn’t going to make Israel happy in the least, and it’s going to be presented with the same diplomatic finesse which brought you Gulf War Junior.
The idea is apparently to counterbalance the overthrow of Iraq with the creation of a viable Palestinian state in order to smooth out pan-Arabic opposition.
The only way I see the Israelis buying it is if they are presented with an offer they can’t refuse, like the threat of pulling that billions in aid and loan guarantees. Considering that this country’s diplomacy currently ranks right about even with von Ribbentrop’s, things have the potential to get really interesting really fast.
Have you ever considered the notion that without the money the US gives Israel to support its economy, it may look elsewhere to fill that gap or the very least remove its biggest drain on its economy which would be anyone and anything Palestinian? Dont you think that a money junkie like Israel is decidely going to get really violent if some arab initiative reduces its influx of us dollars?
Front runner ? How close was last time, how much has the economy fallen since then, how many of Bush’s GOP supporters have seen their savings flushed down the toilet because of the market collapse and corporate greed, how did Bush’s father fare after Gulf War 1 and why …… the list goes on and on. And that’s without knowing how the economy will fare and who Bush will face ….
As it stands, the president is going to need regular media make-overs to look good.
Thing is, Sofa, Bush owes Blair big time and this ‘Middle East Road Map’ is Blair’s payback. But it all depends on the US domestic scene and what Bush can afford, election-wise, to give Blair.
I guess it’s worth remembering that there is a significant opposition within Israel to Sharon and his policies in relation to Palestine … quite where that leaves the rainbow of the pro-Israeli lobby is unclear, at least to me. Some may support Bush for some way, some will side with Sharon from the start … who knows … it’s a little different since the appointment of the new Palestinain PM, that showed considerable movement by the Palestinians.
It could look good, but it depends on a lot of unknowable variables, IMHO. I guess Bush will apply pressure and see what seams burst first …
“As far as the US being the world leader, that’s nationalistic humbug on anything but the military level, and I doubt that the White House has any plans to sending the Big Red One to Jerusalem any time soon.”
Do you really believe this or are you just being contentions? I mean, its one thing to be Anti-US as you obviously are. Its another to let it color reality. US not THE world leader? What do you base this on. Who IS the world leader then? On all levels, economic, military, even cultural (gods help us), the US dominates the world atm as the ONLY superpower. If you have some proof otherwise, I’d be interested in hearing it…