Posted on 02/24/2006 9:14:38 PM PST by conservativecorner
US President George W. Bush suggested overnight that being in government might have "a moderating influence" on the radical group Hamas in the wake of its victory in Palestinian legislative elections.
"As democracy takes root, the responsibilities of governing will have a moderating influence on those who assume power in free elections. It's easier to be a martyr than a mayor or a cabinet minister," he said.
President Bush's remarks came in a wide-ranging speech in which he defended his push for spreading democracy in the Middle East from critics who say the victory by Hamas harms US national security as well as Israel.
"When you're responsible for building roads and bridges and power stations and educating people and providing health, you're less likely to blow up health clinics and schools and bridges," he said.
"In democracies, elected leaders must deliver real change in people's lives or the voters will boot them out at the next election time. It's a lesson that the leaders of Hamas will now have to learn," he said.
"The leaders of Hamas have a choice to make: If they want the help of America and the international community to build a prosperous, independent Palestinian state, they must recognise Israel, disarm, reject terrorism and work for lasting peace," he said.
"The international community must continue to make clear to Hamas that democratically elected leaders cannot have one foot in the camp of democracy and one foot in the camp of terror," said Bush.
"The world is waiting to see what choice Hamas makes," said President Bush, who has warned of US aid cuts to the Palestinians if Hamas fails to meet his conditions.
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
As democracy takes root, the responsibilities of governing will have a moderating influence on those who assume power in free elections. It's easier to be a martyr than a mayor or a cabinet minister
you should pray to god nightly that he will help you to read check out the bold word above bush said will have a moderating influence
MIGHT
not fall in your vocabulary? please see post 63
I am perfectly willing to take his word that the UAE port deal is safe enough to go on with, and if you had read any of my posts on that issue you would have seen that my only concern about that matter is the very near certainty of seriously adverse political consequences. Those consequences are already showing up in national polls which show that public confidence in Republicans on national defense issues has dropped dramatically since the issue broke into the news.
If I didn't like and support Bush and Republicans in general I wouldn't care about that, but I do support him and I do care that the issue increases the possibility of a much slimmer Republican majority in Congress for Bush's last two years in office. Simply put, I care more about the health and well being of the Republic than I do about any president's public image or approval rating.
A title worthy of you.
Sure, I`m a big fan of the President but, I wish he had pushed harder to fix social security, reduce the illegals and cut spending.
Death becomes them..
I'm a big fan of the President, too. But I wish he would avoid speaking like a State Department lifer when it comes to Hamas.
Everybody's got their little pet peeves.
Not casual, just indicates the unseriousness of Hamas. They don't want to defeat the Jews (if they did they would be going about things much more intelligently), they just want to please themselves in indulging their passions.
They aren't just a smaller scale than the Nazis, they are qualitatively (in terms of competence at getting things done) very much less effective.
There is no need to help them out. In fact, I think they shouldn't receive any help. They should get some rhetoric, pro-forma, making the offer of benevolent assitance should they play nice. Thats just good PR. Thats what Bush did. Nobody expects them to play nice.
No doubt the Palestinians as a people are dabbling with insanity with respect to the Jews. But that is their problem, we cannot fix it.
But we can sandbag Hamas, and in fact the deed is halfway done. They depend on popularity to exist. They will destroy their own popularity when they fail to deliver the goods.
you should help to check read that god nightly will above bush have pray out the bold word influence
Hmmm, a "moderate" terrorist?
LOL!!!
You didn't answer my question.
Can the President do no wrong?
At the rate things are going, he'd probably be awarded the contract to manage remaining US ports that are not being run by the UAE or the Chicoms.
No kidding.
What we would call representational government is a hard sell in the muslim world.
They don't distinguish their religion from the individual or the state....it's all or nothing for them...no wonder they end up with despots of some form
about all we can realistically hope for is something between authoritarian and democratic without sectarian violence constantly
and a healthy fear and respect of us..
at your knees or at your throat
i would not be surprised with a partition either formal or informal....
it is a tar pit to nation build in the middle east....or anywhere 3rd world for that matter
but...at least we drew Al Queada out in the open more
I have no idea what your trying to say here.But the fact remains that bush siad it will have a moderating influence on Hamas as my previous post and the story itself pointed out
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.