Posted on 03/24/2004 10:58:28 AM PST by NYC Republican
As if the President didn't have enough on his plate right now - keeping the country safe, dealing with Iraq, worrying about when the economy is going to start producing jobs, and that little matter of convincing a majority of the American people he should keep his job - now he has to deal with the killing of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin.
Hamas has threatened to retaliate - not only against Israel but against the United States. Al Qaeda is also on board. And Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz says more targeted killings are on the way.
I can sympathize with Israel's frustration over having to tolerate a certain level of terrorism while it works to find a solution to end the Palestinian conflict. It's been a difficult, elusive process that has gone on far too long.
I can also understand the argument that Yassin was Israel's OBL. Underneath the fragile, wheelchair-bound exterior was a morally bankrupt and deeply evil man. He was a monster who got exactly what he deserved, and no one can tell the Israelis they weren't within their right to take action against a person directly responsible for the slaughter of hundreds of their innocent citizens.
Still, I can't help but think the killing of Yassin was a tactical mistake. Israel had lived with Yassin for years, so why assassinate him now? Sharon's pull out of Gaza isn't scheduled until next year. So why not wait? Why not take him into custody and/or put him on trial and execute him at a later date?
Now that hardliner Abdel Aziz Rantisi is taking control of Hamas, Israel will probably be forced to strike him in the near future as well. Yasser Arafat and Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah are also in the cross hairs. Yassin's assassination may have set in motion a string of events with many consequences, intended and unintended.
To my mind, the big question is whether Sharon's decision to take Yassin out may adversely affect our ability to pursue the overall War on Terror.
If Yassin's death does lead to a huge conflagration in the Middle East, won't that place an additional burden on the United States that will require vast amounts of time and effort to settle?
Given that we're already racing against the clock with everything we have to meet the deadline for the transfer of power to the new government in Iraq on July 1, a blow up in the Middle East right now could be big trouble.
Don't get me wrong. I'm all for Israel's right to defend herself against terrorists. But I'm also for taking whatever steps can be taken at the appropriate time that are in the best interests of all those who are battling terrorism. In other words, we're on the same team.
That's why, if the news reports are to be believed, I'm astonished that Sharon would conduct a dramatic, high profile targeted assassination with such serious possible ramifications without giving us any advance warning. If, as some suggest, the Bush administration did give the tacit green light to Sharon, then I think they've made a strategic miscalculation as well.
I mean, here is the big picture: the United States is already leading a Herculean effort to fight terrorists around the world. We're doing it aggressively, we're doing it in spite of heavy resistance in the international community, and we're doing it at a very high personal cost.
Incidentally, there has been no greater beneficiary of Saddam's removal in the short-term than Israel. No more SCUD missiles just across the border and no more $25,000 checks to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers.
Furthermore, we're already in a difficult position on the battleground of world opinion and we're constantly struggling to to counter the easy, anti-American scapegoating that continues in Muslim countries. The Yassin assassination makes that job more difficult, especially when it causes the rest of the world including allies like Britain to condemn it.
Sharon has a responsibility to defend his people first and foremost, but he should also act with a realization and recognition of how his actions may affect his closest and most loyal allies.
It shouldn't be lost on Sharon that it is in Israel's best national security interests to have George W. Bush occupying the White House for another four years. Sharon shouldn't be acting in ways that make that task more difficult (unless absolutely necessary) and Yassin's assassination might very well do just that if it further complicates the situation in the Middle East and strains our ability get Iraq on solid ground by the time November 2 rolls around.
What's done is done. The pressure that will be put on the Bush administration is going to be intense. Now more than ever, America is both Satan and Savior to many in the Arab world. To get a flavor of what I'm talking about see this Arab News editorial:
The gloves are off. Nothing can be ruled out. At this critical time, the Palestinians stand united against Israel; so do the Arabs. But that is not enough. There must be a determination at last to force Israel to halt its murders. It has canceled a meeting with Qorei. It must be forced to the negotiating table, forced into concessions. There is only one state that can do this. The US.
We demand action by Washington to rein in the Israeli murderers, to stop Israeli terror. Is Washington sincere in its commitment to justice, or is it as usual only going to mouth platitudes and do nothing? To quote George Bush, if it is not with us, it is against us.
As I said, another big headache for President Bush
And the problem with this is what, exactly?
a blow up in the Middle East right now could be big trouble.
Big trouble for the blown-up Islamists, that is.
Al Qaeda would in a heartbeat. Hamas isn't nearly as strong or sophisticated... they would also not risk the wrath of America's full force. Unlike Al Qaeda which is spread throughout the world, Hamas would have to be supremely foolish to challenge Bush's America. But yes, they wouldn't hesitate to kill Israelis at every opportunity.
Your doctor tells you that you have cancer and have had it for quite a while. "Why remove it now?" you cleverly ask.
--Boris
Correct, and the killing of Yassin does not make them more likely to do so. But unforunately many here in the west continue to view our war with Islamists from a purely defensive point of view, scared to death of "offending" them and "creating millions more bin Ladens." The chicken-littles don't realize that things are already completely out of hand, and the only sound strategy is to kill as many of these sons-of-camels as possible. ....wherever they are.
How about, they were afraid to take action while clinton was in charge here. They're nervous that Bush may not win a second term (especially if you read the lefty papers or watch TV news) so they get him now before a lefty takes power and decides killing Israelis is OK again.
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