[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[carton253]

He's right...

[American in Israel]

It is almost like saying to the Arabs that they have nothing to loose by perpetually attacking Israel, as they will always get back what they lost - and probably more.. For there ever to be peace in the region, the Arab states must realize that there are consequences for their actions, that aggression will not be met with concession, that the wars of the past 50 years have their consequences and that they will not gain any territory lost in such Arab-initiated conflicts.

Burst of reality Bump!

[txzman]

The root of the conflict is Arab rejectionism, rooted in the dictatorial nature of every single Arab regime. Israel has become the scapegoat with which the Arab rulers may deflect the attention of the disgruntled masses from their own oppression, poverty, corruption and primitive way of life. By portraying Israel as the root of all Arab ills, these rulers have continued to spend billions of dollars on weaponry and palaces, while the masses remain hungry and illiterate.

Dead on comment - but not politically correct. No one has the guts to speak the truth!

[fml]

For there ever to be peace in the region, the Arab states must realize that there are consequences for their actions, that aggression will not be met with concession, that the wars of the past 50 years have their consequences and that they will not gain any territory lost in such Arab-initiated conflicts.
_________________

You would think this would be obvious to everyone.

[r9etb]

The first, most obvious question that comes to mind is: What happened to sovereignty? Since when can foreign powers dictate what Israel has to do? Since when have foreign powers had a say on what we do in our own eternal capital, Jerusalem?

The first, most obvious answer is: why doesn't that question also apply to the modern state of Israel, which was created by a UN decree?

The second answer is: when Israel can truly go it alone, then it can talk about sovereignty.

The third answer is: there's strategically too much at stake for Europe, Russia, and the U.S. to simply let the situation deteriorate into the mess it will become.

The fourth answer is: because Israel and the PA have demonstrated that they have too much enmity (and too much at stake) to resolve the issue on their own. If there is to be peace, it must come from outside.

And I say that as a supporter of Israel.

[rogue yam]

This is the second article I've read today complaining that the Bush Administration considers the "road map" to be "non-negotiable." However, both Pres. Bush and Ari Fleisher have said repeatedly that they look forward to receiving input from the Israelis (and the Palestinians) on the road map. I think this "non-negotiable" complaint is a straw man argument.