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Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The Hope For Peace in the Near East

Over at the Gerard Group there is an article on the ongoing peace process in DC for the ongoing conflict (read low intensity war) between Israel and Palestine.

The author of the article is Hollis Armstrong and the article can be found here.

Titled "The Peace Process to Hell:  Bad Foreign Policy is Precursor to Disaster", the author argues that there can not be peace in that the Palestinian Authority is not prepared to grant Israel the right to exist, pace former President Jimmy Carter.
While the aim may be laudable in principle, it is flawed from beginning to end.  In what is perceived as a possible peace framework, every president since Jimmy Carter has overlooked or ignored the realities of the region, and the true character of the people most critically affected by the outcome.  By accepting the 'Palestinian' leadership as a viable and honest partner in the process, American administrations have not only entered a no win situation, but endangered the lives of millions of civilians in the region.

Ironically, our government's total lack of understanding of the dynamics of Middle Eastern culture and their impact on the potential for successful peace talks has led not to peace, but to war.  Each time a new administration opens a new round of peace talks, the stakes get higher and the cost of peace - in human terms - gets higher and increasingly bloody.

Last night, on the eve of the newest 'peace talks' in Washington, the blood has already begun to flow.  Two Israeli couples, including a pregnant woman, traveling in a private car near the town of Kiryat Arba, were shot to death, and their bullet-ridden bodies were thrown onto the street by Palestinian terrorists.  Abu Obeida, spokesman for Hamas' military wing, told The Associated Press late Tuesday that Hamas carried out the attack.
On the other hand, Hamas does not see itself subject to the authority of President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority.  Thus, they see themselves and Gaza as outside the ongoing process in DC this week.

I am temporarily out of ideas?
   Anyone out there with any ideas on this topic?
      Does anyone think the efforts in DC this week will bring success?
         Does anyone think that this is not important to resolving
         larger issues in this world.

Regards  —  Cliff

  The Gerard Group International (GGI) is a private organization which sees itself providing support to companies.  In their words:  "Gerard Group's modular Counter-Terrorism Preparedness program provides enterprise-wide security and continuity planning against a terrorist attack or other catastrophic event. Gerard Group's goal is to close potential security gaps, optimize emergency response capability, and significantly lower risk and liability in the event of a catastrophic emergency."

1 comment:

Craig H said...

Until people identify with their own humanity, and their necessary allegiance with law-abiding and/or non-violent ideological adversaries above and beyond and ahead of law-ignoring and/or violent ideological allies, none of this will ever stop.

I'm appalled at local publishers (e.g. Valley Patriot) who incite anti-Muslim hatred via dissemination of examples of violence perpetrated by "Muslims", (who can't be Muslims observing their behavior, just as the publisher can't be Christian observing his), all while expounding a belief in an armed response on the grounds that supporting one's faith (in this case Christianity/Catholicism) through armed violence is absolutely required when one is of the one true faith. I would like to ask how can this possibly be right, but I am told when I offer an example like the Crusades that I am mistaking something that was GOOD (armed invasion in the name of a "true" god) with something that is wholly evil (armed terrorism in the name of a false one).

The short answer is that I expect no success anywhere under the current circumstances and mindsets of the participants (Arabs, Israelis, Muslims, Jews, Christians, etc. etc. etc.) and I do think this has to be solved if our world is ever going to work.