The New York Times has a truly stunning editorial today. The paper makes the very important point that when Bush made his appeasement remarks in the Knesset it is almost certain that he knew that Israel was negotiating with Syria. Thus, his appeasement attack was directed not just against Obama, but the leadership of the Jewish state of Israel as well. The Times writes:
Everybody knew President Bush was aiming at Senator Barack Obama last week when he likened those who endorse talks with "terrorists and radicals" to appeasers of the Nazis. But now we know what Mr. Bush knew then -- that Israel is in indirect peace talks with Syria, a prominent member of Mr. Bush's list of shunned nations -- and it seems as if the president was going for a two-for-one in his crack about appeasement.
If so, it was breathtakingly cynical to compare the leadership of the Jewish state with those who stood aside in the face of the Nazi onslaught, and irresponsible to try to restrain this American ally from pursuing a settlement that it judges as possibly being in its best interests.
Outrageous.
http://www.light-to-dark.com/auntie_christi_juggles.html
Bush is a patsy. His handlers want the region destroyed completely, and they want Israel to take the fall for it.
"Tawnks" instead of "Tanks" in the speech...
He's on cruise control.
Laura's got her digs ready in Austin.
He's gonna have that brush on the ranchette allll to his lonesome.
"How was that?"
"Very good, sir.."
"Good, let's get the hell out of here..."
"Very good, sir"
I'm not buying it.
And I bet AIPAC doesn't favor negotiations with Syria either.
If Israel and Syria work this out together, without the US, egg will be all over Bush's face. He should not put himself in this position.
As to the process. Why doesn't Israel give back the Golan Heights and just wait to see what happens. They can always say "see we tried" and go back to fighting if it does not work out.
Aside from the Times advocating dialog and diplomacy, there is one additional component to achieving success. That involves actually doing something.
But that pretty much sums up the last 8 years, so...
WOW! It's been a long time coming... but, perhaps we are seeing the reawakening of the NYT. If they would just focus a little and give up their Clinton delusion, they could be great again... and perhaps some of their lost readership would return.
I strongly agree with the entire editorial. The CheneyOilCo and its monkeypuppet's deeply etched legacy of "war criminal"... had one remote chance for any positive spin. It's half-assed attempt at reaching any kind of accord with any of the players can be most easily viewed by the collapse of Saudi support for America. The almost 600 percent increase in oil prices that will be achieved by the end of this year is a reflection of failed foreign policy in that region.
I can imagine the laughter that must have echoed in the Oval Office when President Carter submitted his recent trip agenda and his proposed goals to the State Department. They must have believed that effort would result in complete failure. That immediate and positive results were achieved can be reflected by the hopping-mad dance that Rice did (and her lying attempt to smear Carter) after she found out about the resumed talks between Syria and Israel.
Let's all hope that dialog leads to something positive.
Bush draws so many false analogies in his pursuit of empire that it makes no sense to even listen to him. What is the axis of evil? Black and white thinking is evidence of inflexibility and the ideology of force. Israel is well advised to make peace with its neighbors. The most successful free markets are now the most authoritarian such as Russian and China and certain Arab states. Democracy and free markets do not necessarily promote peace. Economic expansion and military conquests are more often incompatible with democracy and civil freedoms.
I remember remarking almost exactly this sentiment to my wife a couple of days back when the info about Israel and Syria negotiating came to light.
It is only appeasement when there is no negotiation,... no give & take between the parties involved. All conflict can be resolved in one of three basic ways:
Appeasement, Bullying, or Negotiation,... Thanks to Georgie-the-Chimp and a complicit Congress we have been the bully, and nothing but the bully. Problem is,... almost everybody has figured out that 'we' can't really act on being the bully any more,...