Dennis Ross Must Overcome Pro-Israel Label To Succeed WIth Iran Policy

washingtonpost.com:

Diplomatic troubleshooter Dennis Ross is a legendary talker, a specialist in developing peace processes -- long ones. For 12 years, in the first Bush presidency and both terms of the Clinton presidency, he was at the center of the seemingly endless effort to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Read the whole story: washingtonpost.com

Comments

[Wozzeck]

Obama's doublespeak on Iran:
http://www.counterpunch.org/zadeh06102009.html

[fizzette]

Right after the election, I saw an Arab commentator saying the number one thing President Obama could do to give the U.S. credibility in the Middle East would be to enlist an actual Arab-American into a high level advising position. So far all I've seen is people with v. strong Israeli connections and this worries me. It seems you would want someone who could relate to the vast majority of the people within a region to give your policy decisions some balance. Having said that, so far it seems as though President Obama is making a good start (imho) in the ME.

[Wozzeck]

Imagine Israel's reaction if Obama had selected a Muslim-American to a key diplomatic position dealing with US-Israel relation. That's exactly the same reaction that should be expected from Iran with Ross's appointment.

[Pema]

All those years and no results. time to firew him. pro israeli sentiments really mean no progress...progress would actually have to include something for the palestians, and gee whiz most of washingtron really doesnt want that.
rise up.

[Deparis]

Iranians would be fools is they don't build at least 2 bombs by the end of 2010.

[Doomestic]

But there is a fatwa deeming it against their religion. I doubt they will. Iranian regime takes its fatwas seriously.

[vinny]

ross doesn't seem to have his heart into it...

"the men write, arguing that the 'hard choices' of stern deterrence or military strikes on Iran would gain greater worldwide acceptance if diplomacy were tried first."

it's the height of hypocrisy that officials in the Israel-US government would consider a military strike on Iran considering Israel has an undeclared nuclear stockpile...

[Sparty1]

Thank you Vinny. If that's not the most hypocritical thing ever, I don't know what is.

[CigarGod]

So, where are the Arab/Palestinian experts in Obama's team?
I don't know of any.
I see only American's and Israeli's who say they can also speak for the Arab/Palestinian side.

[Macready]

Dennis Ross worries me too!

[jordanispalestine]

Where are the Arab/Palestinian experts in Fatah, Hamas and the PA??? Doesn't THAT come first???

[Rog49Thomas]

Given Brother Dennis' history, this is going to require a lot of work.

Problem is Lewis Cheskin solutions aren't going to work.

Fancy words don't cover up less than fancy deeds - particularly among those who are the receiving end.