White House Backs Latest Israeli Attacks

The Washington Post (Excerpted) ^ | 06/13/2003 | Glenn Kessler

[DoughtyOne]

White House Backs Latest Israeli Attacks
Focus Shifts to Arab Leaders' Commitment to End Support for Militant Groups

By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 13, 2003; Page A22

The Bush administration signaled strong support for Israel's crackdown on militant groups yesterday, effectively abandoning its earlier criticism of the government of
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that had sparked an outcry from lawmakers on Capitol Hill and pro-Israel lobbying groups.

In coordinated statements, White House and State Department officials tried to shift the diplomatic focus from Israeli actions to the commitment made by Arab
leaders at a summit last week in Egypt to cut off funding and support for terrorist attacks against Israelis. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell made that point in a
round of phone calls to Arab foreign ministers, officials said.

Truncated as per our agreement with the Post.

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[hchutch]

Bys topping the rebukes, and the criticism, that eases the pressure on Israel. It also tells the Arabs that we're out of patience. We had to play a bit of a game due to the fact that OPEC, pretty much MidEast nations, had a gun pointed at our economy.

[ohioWfan]

If you go back and read his exact words without emotion, you will see that there was no betrayal of Israel in them. I agree that they had to be said.

[carton253]

I guess where we differ is the "public rebuke". I never saw Bush's statement as a public rebuke. I felt it was form only... for the benefit of the Arabs.

One thing that the Arabs have been critical of this President is that he seemed not to be very interested in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. (To the Arabs the source of all discord in the Middle East)

They have accused him of being disinterested in the fact that Israel is oppressing the Palestinians and the President wouldn't call them off. To the Arabs, all this would take is a phone call since Sharon answers "yes, sir" to whatever the US says.

The Arabs have taken this complaint to the EU and to Britian.

So, the President took on the road map. And he has consistently told the PA and the Arabs that nothing moves past "go" until the Palestinians begin to fight the terror. But before going to Aqaba, he went to Sharm el Sheik and said to the Arab governments who are fighting the Israelis through the Palestinians that they will have to fight Hamas if they want to see a Palestinian state. For there will be no terror state put on Israel's border.

After the bus bombing, he reiterated this fact to the Arab leaders. Stop the funding of Hamas.

Will Israel be able to fight Hamas on their own? No... and I'm not looking at it militarily. Hamas isn't just a Palestinian terror group... it is the front lines of the greater war. To win, Israel needs to pull the cancer out by its root. To do that, she needs American influence on the Arabs. For Bush to do that, he needs the Arab governments to make a decision for or against terror. Only when the Arab governments decide, will the step be known.

[carton253]

That's valid. And if I mis-stated your position I'm sorry. We will have to disagree on whether his words were correct or not.

[agrace]

Please, please, please let it be so, the future norm and not an anomaly.

[WoofDog123]

"Bush knows that as long as HAMAS is in power, the road map can never even begin to be enacted. It is difficult to negotiate with a group who's stated goal is not to have a Palestinian state, but to murder all Israelis."

When organizations apparently have a large supply of people ready to blow themselves up, it is going to be hard to end that organization's activity.

[Ready4Freddy]

"Public rebuke" wasn't my term - it was the term you used in post #110. I agree, the "[whatever you wish to call it]" from W earlier this week was quite mild compared to previous "[whatever you wish to call it]". :>)

[carton253]

Public rebuke was my term...

How about we call it "his previous statement made outloud..."

[Grampa Dave]

It is amazing how we can when see GW sets these things up, and the Islamofacist/kazis go rushing in with violence. Yet GW's constant enemies never see how he sets up these situations for the bad guys to screw up and to show the world what animals they really are.

This shows the whole world that certain elements in the Arab World hate peace. That the Arab Sand Nazis are intent on destroying Israel and the US if they had the opportunity.

Last night I was at a meeting until about 10 pm. On the drive home I went to the radio in my SUV. The local conservative station just disappears at dark due to lack of power. I found a conservative station and never found out where. The fellow talking read a press release about how the brave Hamas leaders were panicked. They had either left their homes or were hunkered down waiting to be killed.

[TLBSHOW]

If the Post's perception of this is correct, we have a new policy regarding Israel and terrorism. Thank God!


4 posted on 06/13/2003 12:30 AM EDT by DoughtyOne

BUMP

[Ready4Freddy]

LOL, sounds good, tho we might want to add something:

"his previous statement made outloud, with arcane strategery in mind..." ;>)

[ohioWfan]

Yet GW's constant enemies never see how he sets up these situations for the bad guys to screw up and to show the world what animals they really are.

Yes, and what happened yesterday is that a leader of Hamas, in an interview articulated that every man, woman and child in Israel must be destroyed.

The President has forced Hamas' hand, and they have revealed how ugly it really is.

It's the BIG picture and the results he's interested in, Grampa. He can take the heat of criticism from anywhere because he sees the endgame that his critics cannot.

[carton253]

Arcane wouldn't be the right word... "Perceptive stratergy..." is the word I would use.

Alot of people see great inconsistency in the President's stance. I do not... I see consistency.

And I would hardly be on the "arcane" side of things. :)

[Ready4Freddy]

"Alot of people see great inconsistency in the President's stance."

Arcane = known only to a few..

[hchutch]

Does Bush use the METHODS that I would use? Not all the time. But damn, that man gets RESULTS. I want RESULTS.

[Hinoki Cypress]

Here Muttly, chew on the ELF-ALF eco-terrorist for a while, until we can chase a murderous diaperhead terrorist your way. Good boy...

[Ready4Freddy]

...and in all fairness, and in the interest of consistency, don't you think it would be 'precepterive strategery'? ;>)

[carton253]

Could be...

[BOBTHENAILER]

But damn, that man gets RESULTS. I want RESULTS.

The results are about to be Hezbollah turned into Hellsolong and Hamas is going to be pureed into hummus.

We've had a score to settle with these SOB's for many a year and it is about to be finalized.

[Grampa Dave]

Or a '{Preempterive strategery'}?