Posted on 10/07/2005 6:53:15 AM PDT by SJackson
Weekly Commentary: Rice soft on Hamas and disarming Palestinian terrorists
Aaron Lerner Date: 6 October 2005
Last week Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice responded to a question at Princeton University about America being soft on Hamas with a carefully crafted statement that was not only soft on Hamas but soft on Palestinian terror in general.
Instead of calling on the Palestinian Authority to immediately disarm the terrorists, Rice showed understanding for this taking an open-ended period of time. "There are periods of time of transition in which one has to give some space to the participants, in this case the Palestinians, to begin to come to a new national compact. Eventually", the Secretary of State explained, they have to be disarmed.
Instead of calling to bar Hamas from running in the PLC unless it first disarms, Rice said that "you cannot have armed groups ultimately participating in politics with no expectation that they're going to disarm" - a requirement that could just as easily be met by Hamas saying that they "expect" to "ultimately" disarm.
And to drive home the point that the Hamas "politicians" can "run first - disarm sometime later", the Secretary of State cited the example of the Good Friday Agreement in which "it was understood that when Sinn Fein came into politics .eventually the IRA would disarm" - adding that "perhaps, hopefully, that process is now underway."
One would have hoped that Ms. Rice's remarks would have been met by expressions of concern in both Israel and from friends of Israel in America.
The opposite was the case.
The Israeli media and Israeli politicians to a man embraced the Rice remarks as if they were a no-holds-barred position against the Hamas in general and their participation in the upcoming PLC elections in particular.
"Improving" on Rice's remarks might make sense if doing so would somehow transform the forced interpretation into American policy. But there is no indication that this is the case.
By misrepresenting Ms. Rice's very serious remarks, Israel has sent a signal to friends of Israel that all is well in Washington when the opposite is the case. And with Mahmoud Abbas slated to meet President Bush in the coming weeks this is hardly the time to replace serious concerns with wishful thinking.
..................
"There are periods of time of transition in which one has to give some space to the participants, in this case the Palestinians, to begin to come to a new national compact. Eventually",
Transition began in 1993 with the full support and encouragement of the US. The PA took control domestically in 1995, and began to fight terror, the PA way. I wonder how long eventually is? 50 years? A century?
..................
"There are periods of time of transition in which one has to give some space to the participants, in this case the Palestinians, to begin to come to a new national compact. Eventually",
Transition began in 1993 with the full support and encouragement of the US. The PA took control domestically in 1995, and began to fight terror, the PA way. I wonder how long eventually is? 50 years? A century?
Ms. Rice called Abu Powell her "mentor"..
I know a lot see Rice as being Presidental timber. For me she's just way too weak on Israel and disconnected from reality with this land for peace process. She does however fit right in at State.
Reasonable description.
This enemy considers every retreat of the civilized world as an invitation to greater violence
Can the cognitive dissonance of this administration be explained and understood?
**************
Is it possible that they knew in advance what Secretary of State Rice's remarks were to be? That might explain their apparent acceptance.
In a sense. The administration has been accepting of Hamas for a number of months now.
A Pro-Hamas Foreign Policy?-Why is Washington urging terrorists to run for elective office?
Secretary Rice on CNN: US will respect elections if Hamas wins
White House: OK if Hamas controls PLC- "business professionals...not terrorists"
White House: Hamas members elected in PA not terrorists
To be ignored, after all, they're businessmen
Hamas calls for "economic Jihad" against the U.S.
HAMAS' Al-Rantisi Says US 'First Enemy' of Palestinian People
Rantisi: We will drive all Jews out of Palestine [And Bush is troubled by trying to assasinate him?]
Target Israeli politicians: Rantisi
Hamas admits being part of global jihad
Hamas Release Video Of British Suicide Bombers
The Globalization of Hamas Terrorism (America and Canada on their agenda)
GLOBAL JIHAD -- Report: Hamas planned attacks in U.S.
Yassin: Jewish state could be established in Europe
Israel: Canadian admits to planning attacks in N. America: DON'T IGNORE THIS
Hamas Leader Rantisi -- "Massacre The Jews"
Hamas in America-The question may no longer be if Hamas will attack America, but when.
Condi Rice's pressuring of Israel to concede Gaza to the PA caused me to lose alot of my respect for her.
Until there is no longer an Israel. There are MANY people who believe that if the Muslims were allowed to destroy Israel, then terrorism would simply end.
This is my ONLY gripe with her. Still love Condi though.
I'm beginning to think that some of our officials are smoking Jimson weed..
Rice on Hamas? Sounds bland. Or is that Humus?
Personally I’d add some Tabasco and garlic.
2 (15-oz.) cans garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste from the Asian food aisle)
3 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced green onion
12 Lundberg Family Farms Rice Cakes
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
Prep time: 10 minutes
Combine garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, cumin and garlic in a food processor. Process until smooth, then stir in green onion. Spread on rice cakes and top with chopped tomato.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.