Will Obama Play it Safe?

Submitted by Zentrist (United States), Nov 13, 2008 at 22:13

My hope and prayer is that President Obama will push hard, perhaps employing President Carter, who has been and could be again a powerfu intermediary...push very hard for conditions for a long term peace in the Middle East. No, not just conditions, a peace treaty/agreement/contract.

The idea that enough hard power abroad will eventually "win the war" seems delusional. By "the war" I mean the whole shebang: the Arab/Israeli conflict and the "bringing to justice" of all the violent extremists. I see this as one war. Of course, I'm a non-expert. Nonetheless, thinking on the matter tells me that ,say, a deal with Iran would have serious impact on events in Jerusalem. Or, another angle: a deal between the PLO and Israel could affect the situations in Iran and Iraq.

The notion that Obama is basically a pragmatist seems confirmed, yet again, by his signing up of Rahm Emanuel. One serious question is, Just how much energy will Obama have left over to aggressively push for long term peace in the Middle East? Another question is, Just how audacious, really, is our Bright New Star? I agree that, in a way, there are many, many question marks.

Barack should use, if possible, anyone and everyone his pragmatic mind suggests to him. Why not enlist President Clinton, who received a notable standing ovation after that speech some years ago at the United Nations? Or, indeed, Why not make Hillary Secretary of State? Why not make Dennis Ross Secretary of State? The stakes are so high indeed, Why not ask Kissinger himself to play a role?

We'd all love to see in our lifetimes not just the conditions but the reality of promising peace in the Middle East. A peace that really does justice to all interests concerned.

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