President Bush just picked up the nadir of recent U.S. presidents -- a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine.
After calling on the usual suspects (Israel and Palestine) to do the usual things (cease and desist), the usual happened: Muslim terrorists marched out the human bomb squads.
Great start.
You'd think Bush would learn lessons from his predecessors. It seems every president since Nixon has tried in vain to solve the Middle East Gordian knot. Despite numerous agreements, every one fell apart. Today, nothing's changed except the faces.
The most puzzling thing about Bush pursuing the process is why we are involved. Any peace at the behest of the United States has almost no chance of taking. It does more harm than good.
Remember the annoying guy who always told you the answers without you asking? You may take the answer but you always want to deck him.
So it is with Israel and Palestine. The Palestinians, who want to wipe Israel off the map, hate the United States already (they cheered in the streets after Sept. 11).
To them, we're evil for one reason: We're friends with Israel. Israel, who wants to stay on the map, is a proud nation and would be insulted because we think they can't handle the problem.
Any peace process that has a chance of taking must begin from within. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon recognizes this.
In his autobiography "Warrior," Sharon wrote: "... a widely acceptable formula must somehow be found so that Israel can take the initiative in the peace process rather than be relegated to responding to the demands of others. Then, after we had the most nearly bipartisan approach that we could come up with, we should if possible attempt to get American support on substance."
Sharon also listed two required elements for peace. The first was it had to be important to both sides. The second is it will take time.
U.S. presidents pursuing a peace agreement followed neither. They've recklessly pursued the road map to peace to boost their legacies.
The so-called "road map" doesn't look like a superhighway; it looks like Muncie's roads with chuckholes big enough to bury a Chevy. It's the same old song and dance with different words to the melody.
Once again, the United States has decided to play traffic cop as in Kosovo and Somalia. Israel will stop erecting settlements and stop attacking Palestinian militants. Palestine will get the terrorists to disband and desist.
It hasn't worked yet.
The real solution is for President Bush to pull the United States out of the process. The reaction would be interesting because the only thing stopping Israel from going after terrorists has been U.S. restraints.
Bush pulling the United States out of the process green-lights Israel to do what they've been restrained from doing: self-defense.
Colin Powell alluded to that recently when he referred to Hamas as an "enemy of peace" and made their destruction a peace process prerequisite.
The initial results could be ugly (read: war). But given time, Sharon's elements could be proven prophetic when both sides come to the table.
Write to Jeff at mannedarena@yahoo.com
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
