Posted on 06/27/2006 1:44:38 AM PDT by familyop
PRESTWICK (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Israel late on Monday to give diplomacy a chance to win the release of an Israeli soldier taken hostage by militants in Gaza.
Palestinians in northern Gaza have begun blocking roads with mounds of earth and Israeli armor has massed on the other side of the Gaza frontier as Israel awaits word on the fate of Corporal Gilad Shalit, who was abducted by Palestinian gunmen and taken to Gaza on Sunday.
"There really needs to be an effort now to try and calm the situation, not to let the situation escalate and to give diplomacy a chance to work to try to get this release," Rice told reporters who landed in Scotland for a refueling stop en route to Pakistan.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert held Hamas, an Islamist group that came to power in March, and the Palestinian Authority chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas responsible for the assault by gunmen on the frontier with Gaza during which Shalit was abducted.
"The time is approaching for a comprehensive, sharp and severe Israeli operation. We will not wait forever," Olmert said in a speech. "We will not become a target of Hamas-terrorist blackmail."
Rice said there was a concerted international effort to win the soldier's release and that she had talked to Israel's foreign minister and Abbas to seek a resolution.
The United States is Israel's most important ally and also has strong influence over Abbas, who has received consistent U.S. support in his power struggle with a Hamas-led government.
Rice said that if Hamas was behind the raid it would show that the group -- considered a terrorist organization by the United States -- was ignoring international pressure to eschew violence.
"This is not behavior that is tolerable in the international system," she said.
I'd have a hard time resisting the urge to just go in with guns blazing...(diplomacy usually isn't my strong point...to which my kids can testify!)
Thank God WW II wasn't run like this stupidity marked nonsense of diplomacy in the Middle East. Fight to win for God's sake, and then you have diplomacy on your terms. Pathetic!
(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
Going in guns blazing is idiotic if you don't know where the soldier is. Diplomacy buys time for the IDF to work their spies in Gaza and find the kid. Be smart. Just because Rice is emphasizing diplomacy in this situation doesn't mean she's Neville Chamberlain. She knows what Hamas is. Be Seeing You,
Chris
yep....which is why I'd make an idiotic diplomat. I'm more the "ready...shoot...aim" type.. (snort).
Condi is one cool cucumber.
I was wondering when our government would begin pressuring Israel to sacrifice the life of this soldier in (vain) hope that "diplomacy" might work. It has never worked with Palestinians and never will.
So you are more qualified than Dr. Rice. When do you perform your walk-on-water act?
She wasn't given the job of a general - if she was, then of course she would be advocating the use of force.
Why blame someone for doing the job they were hired to do?
I wonder, after all the crap that has happened over there, would Israel make this 'the straw that broke the camel back'?
She sure sounds stupid much of the time.
Rice is of the UN school of appeasement. You will see it in Iraq too.
I hope the kidnapped soldier is saved but this is not about him anymore. Or it shouldn't be.
The "Palestinians" attacked inside Israel, they killed two.
Notwithstanding this soldier, Israel should have been in Gaza 36 hours ago preparing many Arabs to meet their assigned virgins.
You will know when/if Israel regrows a spine when/if you ever read a headline that the Israeli Government told Rice to STFU.
Oh, and Rice for President. She plays the piano and is a sharp dresser.
ALL HAIL THE MUPPET!
begone demon, back to the kos that spawned you!
What would Dr. Rice have to say if someone suggested giving al-Qaida a sovereign territory of its own, and then negotiating with bin Laden?
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Given the thunderous response to the recent butchering of American soldiers (thunderous on FR and a few radio shows, forgotten elsewhere), I'm not surprised.
"Why should our Secretary of State Rice demand that Israel do so?"
Because the Wahabi lobby is powerful. Every time this type of situation develops, they are on the horn to whatever administration is in power urging us to urge Israel to "exercise restraint." It is sickening.
You didn't ask me, but recognizeing we face the same enemy, I'd probably resist offering advice, and let Israel deal with it.
Of course I'd loudly condemn the abuse of a prisoner. Which would be coming on the heels of loud condemnation of the recent butchering of our soldiers.
The idea of negotiation, unless we're prepared to negotiate in a similar circumstance, wouldn't cross my lips.
Think acts of 'diplomacy' are only worthy/valid when their is a common denominator of 'consciousness'. . .
Diplomacy with/for terrorists who resonate at 'zero' level and contrary to any civilized values. . .is only 'weakness. . .capitulation. . .surrender' to the inferior.
. . .and in turn; enhances their grotesquely distorted version and vision. . .of empowerment.
Condi has lost my vote on this one. . .
You don't negotiate with enemies unless they are utterly defeated and then you set the terms.
Under any other circumstances "negotiations" WILL NOT WORK.
> You don't negotiate with enemies unless they are utterly defeated and then you set the terms.
Seems rather silly to limit your options like this. Why go to all the bother of fighting when you may be able to achieve the same outcome with words instead?
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