Condi's Middle East Mirage

Time is (fortunately) running out on Condi Rice. As our increasingly peripatetic Secretary of State makes here upmteenth photo op diplomatic drive-by to the Middle East, she is putting the finishing touches on a legacy that will add yet one more failure to her excruciating and unending list of diplomatic disasters in the region.

No secretary of state in recent memory has been as unfit to navigate the quicksand of the Middle East as Rice, and her record has repeatedly demonstrated her callowness. Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, a deteriorating Palestinian conflict, the unchecked rise of jihadism -- all representing a cumulative toll on American interests and prestige. When I debated Rice in the 2000 presidential campaign on behalf of then Vice President Gore, I couldn't help but believe based on her performance that her entire career exposure to the Middle East probably amounted to a puff on a Sheesha (a.k.a. water pipe) at Stanford. Events have proven me correct.

Four months ago, in a desperate attempt to salvage a reputation tarnished by her central role fostering nearly a decade of painful global decline for the United States, Rice embarked upon a hasty, ill-conceived, and hapless attempt in Annapolis, Maryland to produce an agreement between Israel and one half of the Palestinian people, which was blessed by a promise from her boss to produce a comprehensive agreement before the expiration of his term.

Before Annapolis and the fanfare she orchestrated around it Rice was repeatedly warned by far more seasoned diplomats that not enough groundwork had been put in place, and that raising expectations without results would only set America back further in the tumultuous region.

Now, I, for one, believe that America has a central role in helping to foster peace in the region, and when the U.S. steps up to the plate, even if we do not immediately succeed, we are given regional credit for trying, and that is credit in the bank when we need it. But Rice has never truly committed herself to the enterprise, preferring instead to talk the talk of peace, but not walking the walk of peacemaking.

The Annapolis Summit that Rice insisted on convening appears to becoming yet another temporary, dying flicker of hope in Middle East diplomacy.

True, the Middle East hand she herself helped draw would have challenged the most seasoned and experienced secretary of state. Hamas' missile-driven determination to torpedo post-Annapolis progress, Israel's settlement expansion and blockades, and the weakness of the two principal leaders (Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas) all constituted obstacles that had to be oversome.

But If there was going to be any hope that Annapolis would produce meaningful progress between Israel and the Palestinians, heavy, 24/7 American diplomatic lifting would be vital. Yet, rather than seize the initiative that Annapolis provided her, Rice demurred and dropped the baton once again, just as she has every time the Middle East beckoned her to do more than merely engage in drive-by diplomatic self-promotion. She has actually come close breaking her arm as she repeatedly patted herself on the back with every wheels up from the region, failing to appreciate that everything diplomatic in the Middle East is on endless life support thanks to her own missteps, requiring the constant attention of senior American diplomats.

Can Rice do anything to salvage Annapolis?

Probably not at this point. There is a three-ring diplomatic circus taking place, and no American ringmaster: in one ring the government of Yemen is attempting to mediate some form of reconciliation between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, in the second ring, Egypt is attempting to negotiate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, and in the third, Rice has been half-heartedly cajoling Olmert and Abbas to meet Bush's pipe dream to produce an agreement before the expiration of his term (293 days from now, for those who are counting). Each ring is linked to the other, and here again, Rice has proven unable to rise to the occasion. Instead, she had to abide Dick Cheney traveling to the region to lend his "enormous gravitas" (facetiously stated for those who miss the quotes) to orchestrate the appearance of positive movement.

The next president will have to pick up the pieces. The best that Rice should try to do at this point is the following:

1. Lend more overt support to Egyptian efforts to facilitate some tacit cease fire between Hamas and Israel.

2. Work 24/7 to urge Israel to expedite the removal of barriers that will enable more freedom of movement for the Palestinians.

3. Increase the policing capability of the Palestinian Authority to eliminate terror cells from the West Bank.

4. Facilitate an Israeli-Egyptian agreement to improve the humanitarian condition of Gaza's population while improving joint Egyptian-Palestinian policing of Gaza's borders with Egypt and Israel.

Rice has clearly bitten off more than she can chew. There is no chance that Annapolis will result in a final Israel-Palestinian agreement, and the parties have made that clear despite Bush's commitment and next visit to the region in June.

Now is the time with the few remaining months Rice has left to make it easier, rather than harder, for the next president to undo the damage she and her cohorts have brought to the region by concentrating on what is doable, and not the impossible.

Comments

[bobo209]

"Even when we seek revenge, it is important to make one thing clear – the life of one yeshiva boy is worth more than the lives of 1,000 Arabs.
1. What is the history and nature of Israel?

Describing Israel is always difficult. One can either stay within the mainstream paradigm, or tell the truth. I will opt for the truth.

Drawing on scores of books by diverse authors, the facts are quite clear: Israel was created through one of the most massive, ruthless, and persistent ethnic cleansing operations of modern history. In 1947-49 about three-quarters of a million Muslims and Christians, who had originally made up 95 percent of the population living in the area that Zionists wanted for a Jewish state, were brutally forced off their ancestral land. There were 33 massacres, over 500 villages were completely destroyed, and an effort was made to erase all vestiges of Palestinian history and culture.

The fact is that Israel's core identity is based on ethnic and religious discrimination by a colonial, immigrant group; and maintaining this exclusionist identity has required continued violence against those it has dispossessed, and others who have given them refuge.

Should the U.S. End Aid to Israel?
Funding Our Decline

[betz55]

The US can "urge" Israel al lit wants.Haaretz and J'Post are full of articles mocking the US for the "pressure" they put on Israel.It's a joke.Here's the answer:Cut US aid to Israel.The US should stop pandering to Israel and it`s destructive policies.Cut off aid and stop the loan guarantees.Demand peace and fair settlement with the Palestinians and extract the US from Israel`s damaging,h­armful,and negative policies.Israel is not a third world country. It is a theocracy that uses US monetary aid, which requires no accountability,to oppress the Palestinians, perpetuate apartheid,and build settlements in the occupied territories.Israeli policies are not longer in line with US policies,and,as a result are making the US more of a target than ever in the Islamic world.If Israel cannot exist without the U.S. giving them billions of dollars every year,then the Israels need to pack their bags and move on. Each year US aid to Israel gives each man, woman, and child the equivalent of over $1500.00 each while cutting programs in the US due to "funding".Why on earth are American taxpayers forced to give 10 billion dollars yearly to Israel when our own people are homeless or soon to be, have no jobs, no healthcare.There is no justification for forcing the U.S. public to pay for health care,education, and housing for the Israelis while their our own people go without.

[AdultFilmLegend]

Conidi for VP

[bobo209]

Is there a true solution to the Israeli/Arab crises? Indeed there is! We need to apply and become aware of the following realities:

• Get U.S. bases out of the region immediately; stop selling oil to U.S. & its partners who support Israel; import basic needs and advanced military hardware from honest and friendly countries. Build a military power equal or superior to United States and Israel combined.

• Leaders in the region who cannot dissect their love affair from U.S. are free to join the American camp and ally with Israel, but leave Arab lands and denounce their Arab or Muslim identity.

• Communism is but dead. Capitalism is a system for the rich and collapsing.

• U.S. animosity towards Arabs and Muslims is pushing Russia and China to embrace Islam’s social, economic and legal systems.

• U.S. and Israel, along with their accomplices must quickly realize that they have no chance to bring Arabs and Muslims to their knees, except during prayer.

[Abie56]

Well put. Bravo, and thanks.

[MinuteMan]

I think you're being awfully hard on Secretary Rice. After all, on her watch we are seeing the rekindling of the Cold War which will give us something more tangible to be against once again—though I suppose there is always the chance of mutual nuclear annihilation but that's a fine point!

[realpolitic]

No one could have said it better: "No Secretary of State in recent memory has been as unfit to navigate the quicksand of the Middle East as Rice, and her record has repeatedly demonstrated her callowness." Hamas would not likely be as established politically in the Gaza Strip anyway, if Bush and Rice had not called for elections when Fatah said they were not ready. Then Rice and Bush armed Fatah to fight Hamas. Rice and Bush always escalate tensions and never address the root causes of them. Rice is much more intelligent than Bush, but just as much a disaster as he. She is not as clouded by ideology, but still seems blind to any adverse consequences other than the outcome she and Bush minions expect. They have been proven wrong time and time again.

[bogananda666]

Rice's purpose for so many trips and so much time in the middle east is to line up contacts for her International Consulting business after leaving office.

[realpolitic]

Rice is as bad as the rest of the Bushies.

[peterg76]

Rice is a decoy - her function is to sabotage diplomacy while pretending to engage in it.

[realpolitic]

"Rice is a decoy," along with Cheney, too. Diplomacy has never been looked as disdainfully in any administration as in this one.

[duckfan00]

Marc-
Dont forget the arrogance of this administration in 2000 when they came in and said they were not going to get involved heavily in this conflict. Other than Rice's monthly 'lunches' with Ohlmert she has done nothing.

[chinaskee]

The Democrats have had plenty of opportunity to bring peace to the Middle East as well,most notably all through the 1990's when Mr. and Mrs. Clinton were the Presidents.And they failed miserably too. The bottom line is there will be no peace in the Middle East until the United States gives its full and complete support to the State of Israel when the next occasion arises to wipe Hamas or Hezbollah off the map permanently.They're the problem in the region,not the Israelis.

[LeftRight]

Wow! How about instead of trying to bring about peace by warfare, you ask our elected officials to encourage peace through peace!!!!!!!

[realpolitic]

Wow, what an unique idea! The Neocons won't buy it!

[tipiglen]

They gave Israel very free rein in blasting infrastructure in Lebanon and prevented any restraint, along with the poodle's help against the rest of the world. The result hasn't been hailed as an historic victory.....

Salaam/Sha­lom/Shanth­i/Dorood/P­eace
Namaste -ed

[realpolitic]

The result was just the opposite of a historic victory for Israel.

[realpolitic]

We tried to give Israel "full and complete support" recently when they struck at Hezbollah in Lebanon in a bloody three week bombing campaign. Hezbollah emerged stronger than ever and the operation was a miserable failure, almost toppling the Israeli premier. I think you have to go back to the drawing board, Chinaskee. Perhaps the Democratic idea of pursuing peace through negotiations instead of through war is not so bad an idea.

[vat6948]

What a breath of fresh air! Amb. Ginsberg's clarity describing the changeless of bringing peace to that region. Sec. Rice has failed in every assignment given her, except her loyalty to Bush, some legacy.

[realpolitic]

In the Bush administration, undying loyalty is the only quality that really matters. I think Bush trusts failure more then success anyway. Bush has failed all his life.

[argeec]

So Marc, do you deny that AIPAC is the primary impediment to peace?
Or do you think it's those nasty little Palestinian children that keep putting themselves in the way of those missles from F-16s?

[LORISNJ]

Great post Amb. Ginsberg.

I remember a few years ago a news story came out that Egypt was going to have peace talks with Hamas, Israel, and others but no mention of any US involvement. All of a sudden, Condi jumps on a plane and with all her usual fanfare inserts herself into the talks and in the end no peace agreement was made.

Condi Rice will fly to any place on this Earth where peace is threatening to break out and she will stop it in it's tracks.

[Marnie1]

But we now know that "Shock" of "Shock and Awe" stands for the intentional destabilization of a country in order for the Repocons to take control of its assets and government.

Condi is doing her job brilliantly, she is insuring that turmoil and unrest are as wide spread and deeply seated as possible.

[thewho77]

Sending Cheney to the Middle East for peace talks? What a joke!!!!

[realpolitic]

Cheney will show up and tell them what to do and them them when the bombing will begin if they do not.

[BatedBreath]

How much is she to blame for the failures of the administration's ME policy and to what extent are they attributable to her inept, ignorant, and incurious boss? My impression is that he just doesn't listen. I believe she advised bush to begin Israeli/Palestinian settlement negotiations a long time ago.

However, Condi's expertise was in Russia/USSR affairs if I remember correctly. From what I have read recently, the administration is at least partially responsible for the problems we're having now with Putin and Russia. So, it appears even when she has expertise in an area, she either can't analyze situations accurately, or shrub doesn't care and/or understand her analyses.

[realpolitic]

Bush does not have patience for peace negotiations. He likes to order shock and awe.

Rice, with her intelligence, has some problem with judgement or some other quality. I mean, she was surprised when Hamas won electons in the Gaza strip. She is always surprised when the hardliners win and not the guys she and Bush favor.