Hamas win shatters status quo

The Christian Science Monitor ^ | January 27, 2006 | Ilene R. Prusher

[.cnI redruM]

It sort of puts the nail in the coffin of the theory that human beings are good by nature.

[American in Singapore]

This is a good turn of events. No more p#ssyfooting around.

I fiercely agree with Israel's right to exist, and never cease to be amazed by their courage.

(on a side note, where the hell is Kofi? Is he off taking joy rides in a Mercedes?)

Any article that has 2 paragraphs of Jimmy Carter is automatically suspect.

And, as much as I can get angry at times and wish that "Palestine" would be blown off of the face of the planet (forgive me, but I have an "issue" with children getting blown up on buses and in schools), I can symapthize with the Palestinian people and cut them some slack; damn, if enough brainwashed Americans could almost vote in John F'ing Kerry as President, I think that they could be cut some slack, too.

Thanks for GWB's and Condi's resolve and consistency.

[jpl]

Between this and Iran, the car is rapidly careening downhill and the brakes are out.

This is going to be a very grim year in World War III. We may as well get used to it and brace ourselves for the bad things to come.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel.

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[jecIIny]

This is a surprising development. But one that could have unintended long term consequences. I see a couple possible ways this could play out.

1. Hamas sticks to its avowed policy of war with Israel: If this happens then they will get soundly whipped. Hamas is not a serious threat to the survival of Israel and is a military nonentity. Their only weapon is terrorism. One of the things which held Israeli retaliation in check in the past was the quick (and rather disingenuous) statements issued by the PA condemning terrorist attacks (even as they helped facilitate them). With Hamas in power that game won't work anymore. If Hamas tries this method they will quickly loose all international support and find the Palestinian people heavily isolated. Also Israel will be able to carry out far more devastating military reprisals against the PA. Further the Palestinian economy which is already in poor shape could be left in a state weaker than Bangladesh. This might quickly disillusion the Palestinians and get them to remove Hamas from power and repudiate violence once and for all.

2. Hamas as a surprise peace maker: Although I think its unlikely (given their fanatical religious beliefs) it is possible that Hamas could decide either immediately or after a brief period of showing off belligerence for the press and media, to make some overture to Israel. Hamas has something right now that Fatah never had. A massive majority, without the corruption scandals that plagued Fatah, and credibility with the anti-Israeli crowd. In the early 70's President Nixon went to China and restored relations with that country. No Democrat could have done that. It took someone with Nixon's gold standard credentials as an anti-communist to be able to pull that off. Fatah could not make a lasting peace with Israel since they never had the credentials. Hamas could, IF they want to.

[Señor Zorro]

If they want statehood, this will not help them.

Statehood is not the point. The destruction of Israel is. Furthermore, Israel has a Faustian bargain with the US. Pretty much, Israel needs US technology to stay one step ahead of the Arabs, but the US (even under Bush and his ridiculous "Roadmap to Peace" plan) ties their hands by demanding negotiation with the terrorists. If Israel is not allowed to fight the terrorists now, they will lose (barring the miraculous intervention of God) in the long run as the terrorist population is growing faster than Israel's.

[t2buckeye]

They are dumb..but also shielded from anything BUT the hate promoted by Hamas and the PLO. The PLO has completely squandered money given to them from all over the world; they live in destitution despite the fact that the PLO had money to relieve their distress. But the PLO NEVER wanted to help its citizens, why? To keep the hatred for Israel alive. Now that Hamas is going to govern, will they be able to do so? If they do not deal with the deprivation of the area, will they be held accountable? Or will they simply (with or without the people's permission) become another terrorist state like Taliban run Afghanistan?
Any predictions?

[samadams2000]

Mount the gatling guns.

[Ashamed Canadian]

I think we're looking at a Taliban Pt. 2 style governement for Gaza.

[Brit_Guy]

"Discuss."

OK. How about the contreversial (on here) view that democracy is NOT the first thing you should bring to a nation? How about you need time for the rule of law, the separation of powers, an embeded education system and consituational checks and balances to be built into the psyche of a people before you give them the luxury of democracy.

Or is that too imperialist?

We're no doubt also going to hand over Iraq to Shi'ia lunatics because we don't get this point......

Flame away.

[nmh]

Who is really surprised at this?

Sane people shouldn't be.

Oh, George, I don't think your "land for peace" means squat. You just made it easier for them and look like an idiot. There is NO HONOR amongst evil people - WAKE UP GWB!

[familyop]

"...status quo"--fitting language for what's been going on.