U.S. diplomacy is a powerful tool for achieving peace and democracy [Arab View}

Last week, the bickering between the Israelis and Palestinians over the arrangements on reopening the Rafah border crossing was so bad that the Quartet's envoy, James Wolfensohn, threatened to give up and go home after months of failing to secure a solution. In walked U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and within hours, the two sides almost magically reached a deal to reopen the crossing.

The fact that the disputes over the border's reopening were resolved so quickly after Rice arrived in the region is proof - if any more proof were needed - that American involvement in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict gets results. In fact the very nature of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process has always been trilateral, with the American playing an indispensable role in bringing both parties to the negotiating table. We have seen that in the absence of that American role, the peace process has stalled. But when the Americans, the strong third party, decide that something needs to be done, both the Palestinians and Israelis are quick to do it.

The diplomatic involvement of the Americans is a proven formula for success in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. This formula can be extended even further, if the U.S. was willing to play a similar role in resolving an ongoing conflict along Israel's northern border with Lebanon. Amid the international push to disarm the Lebanese resistance group Hizbullah, a key fact has gone ignored: Israel repeatedly violates Lebanese territory. Israeli fighter planes fly over Lebanon on a near daily basis, often breaking the sound barrier over densely populated areas, and Israeli warships repeatedly cross into Lebanese waters. These incursions not only terrify the Lebanese citizens, they serve as a form of agitation and provocation. The U.S. could also play a similar role in brokering

I hope to hell Condi knows what's she's doing. She probably does, but I'm not as far-sighted as she is. The Gaza Palestinians will now be able to get lots more weapons.
OTOH, maybe they'll be able to grow lots more businesses and make real lives for themselves (IF they're actually willing to).

Last night Jennifer Griffin was on FoxNews reporting from the PLO-Israeli talks and looked really disgusted, SNEERING while saying Condi thought a deal was near when everybody else said it was hopeless. Tonight she's saying everyone is dumbstruck how Condi passed the laptop back and forth all night, dead-set-determined on getting the agreement wording right so everyone would agree on it. And finally, they did. If there's a silver lining to this dubious endeavor, it's the demonstration that Condi can get things done.

FTR..I hope Condi runs for Prez in 2008. This will not hurt the Israeli's in any way, they can always go back in and slap down the Pali's if things get out of hand. This is a diplomatic coo that could not have come at a better time. The Islamist terrorists are looking pretty bad after the Jordan bombing..what better time than now, to broker a hard contested deal that the Palistenians claim they want?

Sharon is no dummy, he signed on for this reason..WE ARE WINNING THE WAR ON TERROR!!

Amazing. [Shaking head.]

"FTR..I hope Condi runs for Prez in 2008. This will not hurt the Israeli's in any way, they can always go back in and slap down the Pali's if things get out of hand."

1. Do you realize how much trouble it's been for terrorists to smuggle weapons into Israel up to now? They make homeade rockets that can't hit the side of a barn. And Allah Nutbars can make a fortune if they manage to construct a weapon-smuggling tunnel into Israel. High prices mean lower quality terrorist weapons.

2. Do you realize what a disaster the orginal Gaza Deal was? Some of the bravest people on earth were the Israelis who had moved to Gaza. It was a volunteer-to-endanger-your-family-for-zip kind of deal that sent them there to begin with. They were a militia more than a citizenry. They chose to go to Gaza because Israel needed eyes, ears, and guns in that area.

Kicking those brave people out of Gaza was a hideous betrayal and mistake.

3. Did you know that terrorist activity resumed in Gaza already? That sure didn't buy much peace.

4. Do you realize that Egypt's commerce ties will mean that intruding on this absurd deal could mean new wars with Egypt all over again? She just let the camel's nose in the tent!

"This is a diplomatic coo that could not have come at a better time."

When's the best time to display weakness?

"The Islamist terrorists are looking pretty bad after the Jordan bombing."

This is the first time I can agree with you on anything.

"Sharon is no dummy, he signed on for this reason."

My memory's fuzzy on this point, but if I'm not mistaken, the Clintonista helped Sharom win his first race. He's obviously no dummy, but his politics is not the kind I respect.

Closing Point: I wish it weren't true, but the original Gaza deal showed me what kind of diplomat Condi is. She's in over her head and listening to the wrong advisers. This commerce deal validates it. And, looking at the larger view, single-issue conservatives are right once again. You can't trust the judgement of pro-choice politicians. Not true in every case, but a powerful concept in general terms. When a person's fundamental belief system is flawed, it typically extends far beyond one issue.

I hear everything you are saying and agree with most of it, except the part about Condi. Certainly, it is a proven fact, that 'negotiations' with terrorists do not work anywhere and Israel's history with the Palestinians teaches that lesson in a horrific way. However, I don't see what is going on now as negotiations. Israel made a unilateral decision to leave Gaza and the West Bank and can always go back in if things fall apart. They can then say, we tried it and it did not work..now we never leave Gaza & West Bank again. (wink)

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