Another incomprehensible US stroll into the Arab-Israeli minefield

Submitted by Charles Martel (United States), Oct 25, 2007 at 12:09

Of course the talks are stupid and won't go anywhere -- anyone can see that and it's not worth dissecting.

What I found interesting is Dr. Pipe's reasons for the latest "peace talks" goat rope. I have never understood why no US administration (right or left, competent or pathetic) can't resist trying to settle this.

These five are at least adequate explanations -- although only the second is even arguably a plausible US interest:

Iranian threat: Rice sees an opportunity for U.S. diplomacy in a Middle East re-alignment resulting from Iranian aggression, both actual (Hizbullah, Hamas) and future (nuclear weapons).

Inaction worse: If nothing is done, Kadima's already dismal standing in the polls will continue to fall and Fatah's tenuous hold over the West Bank will erode. The prospect of Likud and Hamas succeeding Olmert and Abbas pleases the Bush administration no more than it does those two men.

Legacy: Zbigniew Brzezinski has articulated the foreign policy establishment's hopes for Annapolis and its dim view of Rice: "She realizes that her legacy right now is really very poor. If she can pull this off, she will be seen as a real historical figure."

Civil rights: Rice believes in a bizarre analogy between West Bank Palestinians and southern Blacks.

Messianism: Both George W. Bush and Rice seem to view themselves as destined to resolve Arab-Israeli hostilities. One interlocutor recounts that "she believes this is the time for the Israeli and Palestinian conflict to end."

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Title	Commenter	Date	Thread
Madness run amok in the name of "Legacy"? [53 words]	Joshue	Jan 14, 2008 21:09	118208
Kiss my Camel's Kaboose [229 words]	Ed Adams	Dec 4, 2007 07:50	115697
It looks Like Olmert Finally Found Some Spine [78 words]	Seamus MacNemi	Nov 30, 2007 02:16	115396
Another failed meeting [77 words]	Henry Davis	Nov 7, 2007 04:43	113291
Pipes apprehensions from Annapolis are perfectly understandable! (#115031) [11 words]	omar ibrahim baker	Oct 31, 2007 10:37	112728
U.S.-Israel relations hanging by a thread? [166 words]	Michael Baker	Oct 29, 2007 19:52	112603
The road to hell… [1444 words]	Johnny S.	Oct 28, 2007 00:52	112478
Road to Hell Not Paved, But Very Wide - Look to Holy Bible For Right Path to Streets of Gold [389 words]	M. Tovey	Oct 29, 2007 18:51	112478
Good on you, Johnny! [142 words]	Charles Martel	Oct 30, 2007 12:52	112478
1444 Words On the Road to Hell [219 words]	EdAdams	Dec 4, 2007 09:03	112478
Road to hell [118 words]	Larry B.	Jan 16, 2008 11:29	112478
Road map to destruction [584 words]	shayna	Oct 27, 2007 15:10	112438
Annapolis the Precursor to the Following Consequences [363 words]	M. Tovey	Oct 27, 2007 22:38	112438
May God bless Daniel Pipes ! [60 words]	A.M.Delcambre	Oct 27, 2007 09:19	112430
The Beginning of Israel's Demise (and U.S. retreat) [295 words]	Bryan Taplits	Oct 26, 2007 16:19	112400
analogies [362 words]	Yuval Brandstetter MD	Oct 27, 2007 16:36	112400
Bush Administration Incompetence [85 words]	Kattey	Nov 2, 2007 13:04	112400
The "Pipe" line to Better Understanding. [368 words]	EdAdams	Dec 6, 2007 08:56	112400
West Vs Muslim world [262 words]	Syed Kasim	Oct 26, 2007 15:25	112395
Syed Vs western world [496 words]	Jeff	Oct 27, 2007 18:02	112395
Muslim world versus the West [275 words]	Infidel	Oct 28, 2007 14:23	112395
reply to Syed Kasim [605 words]	shayna	Oct 28, 2007 20:02	112395
Who is more at fault, the East or the West? [153 words]	Kattey	Nov 2, 2007 13:25	112395
who is on first who is on second [50 words]	Grunchlik	Dec 4, 2009 20:55	112395
I care. [27 words]	Kattey	Dec 6, 2009 22:34	112395
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wow [47 words]	Agamemnon	Oct 28, 2007 12:59	112392
Agamemnon "logic". [128 words]	Ynnatchkah	Oct 28, 2007 20:25	112392
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Been there done that. [156 words]	Joe Kaffir	Oct 27, 2007 16:32	112352
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Rice & co [236 words]	Peter simpson	Oct 25, 2007 14:47	112333
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Another incomprehensible US stroll into the Arab-Israeli minefield [243 words]	Charles Martel	Oct 25, 2007 12:09	112326
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If not now - when? [205 words]	K.H. Ahmed	Oct 25, 2007 09:34	112321
The arrogance of carelessness [99 words]	David W. Lincoln	Oct 25, 2007 09:18	112320
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the sound you heard was the nail getting hit on the head [12 words]	Taj	Oct 26, 2007 02:57	112303
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Once again, Daniel is right [156 words]	Moh	Oct 24, 2007 19:14	112278
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No disrespect toward Dr. Pipes is intended. Mr. Bush is an utter and complete failure. [215 words]	Steve	Oct 24, 2007 19:04	112276
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Charles Martel: I'm sorry I did not make myself clear [156 words]	Steve Klein	Oct 26, 2007 17:34	112276
Although Steve not a Moslem after all, the point stands [85 words]	Charles Martel	Oct 29, 2007 13:09	112276
Charles, you are a Christian; I am a Jew. I believe our priorities are different [168 words]	Steve Klein	Oct 30, 2007 10:28	112276
I don't agree with your eschatology, and I don't have a blog -- it must have been the work of an IMPOSTER! [71 words]	Charles Martel	Jan 13, 2009 14:46	112276
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