With Aid, U.S. Widens Role In Palestinian Crisis

http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB116855166917574338.html ^ | CAM SIMPSON

[ventanax5]

In a move fraught with risk and historical ironies, the Bush administration is preparing to pour $86 million into strengthening security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The plan, which has sparked a behind-the-scenes debate in Congress, is intended to fortify Mr. Abbas against armed assaults from Hamas, a militant, Iran-backed Islamist group committed to the destruction of Israel. It is just one example of how a new Bush administration focus on countering Iranian influence in the Middle East is quickly reshaping and regionalizing conflicts.

Critics say that Mr. Abbas's Fatah party is hardly a reliable ally. Under Mr. Abbas's predecessor, Yasser Arafat, Fatah was widely reviled for corruption. And its members in the past have launched terrorist attacks against Israelis and Americans. Some analysts worry the new effort could backfire on the U.S., inflaming Palestinian strife and supplying guns that could be turned against Israel some day.

"I think we are playing with fire," says Robert Malley, Middle East director for the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank focused on conflict resolution. He sees a "classic arms-race dynamic" taking shape.

[contemplator]

This is a very bad idea, but not because of the 'arms race dynamic' they talk about. Arming Fatah is dooming ourselves to future conflicts against a group that we armed ourselves. The enemy of my enemy is not always my friend.

[paul51]

Waste of money. I don't know if we will ever learn. Until these people decide they would rather have a better way of life than hating and killing each other, there is no reason to be financing any of it. We've poured enough money into this terrorist black hole.

[Ron2]

Would someone answer a question for me? Exactly....and I mean "Exactly" where in our Constitution does it allow our government to take our tax money and give it to another country...............or anyone else?

[SJackson]

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

High volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel, WOT

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Abbas urges: 'Raise rifles against Israel'

'American weapons to be used on Jews' U.S. providing arms to bolster Abbas (against Hamas)

US training Fatah in anti-terror tactics

US arms to be given to Mideast terrorists?-Force 17 leader rifles for security used against Jews

[Spok]

If Abbas doesn't already have a numbered Swiss bank account, he'd better get one.

[SJackson]

Arming Fatah is dooming ourselves to future conflicts against a group that we armed ourselves. The enemy of my enemy is not always my friend.

You might find the training link in post 5 interesting.

We're training palestinians in American techniques in convoy security. They don't have any convoys, their brothers in Iraq are attacking ours.

We're training palestinians in airport security. They don't have an airport, though they've a decades long history of airport attacks and hijackings.

We're training palestinians in sniper and counter-sniper techniques. They do have snipers. Shooting Jews and shooting Americans in Iraq.

But I'm sure neither their training nor our training manuals will be shared.

[Piranha]

What a fascinating article. The fact that the amount of money asked for by the President is greater than the total amount given by the US to the Palestinians since we established relations with the PLO in the early 1990s is buried in the article.

Those of us who think that the situation is going to end with the removal of terroristic Palestinian arabs from the land west of the Jordan River (i.e., Judea and Samaria -- the so-called West Bank -- and even Gaza) might not be dismayed to see Hamas assert its hegemony over these people. The Hamas and Fatah groups have the same agenda, it's just that Hamas admits to it.

I'm also not surprised that this idiotic Olmert government is encouraging this funding. They don't have any idea how to deal with the Palestinian arabs, and if they can get the US to foot the bill, hey, so much the better.

[Capt. Tom]

In a move fraught with risk and historical ironies, the Bush administration is preparing to pour $86 million into strengthening security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinians-Hamas- Fatah = MUSLIMS

Muslims should be killing Infidels. The 86 million would be better spent in figuring out how to poison fundamental Islamic beliefs.

But then again the Commander in Chief thinks Islam is a religion of peace. And we must give peace a chance,over, and over, and over, again. - Tom

[dervish]

If Pres Bush rejected the Realist model in Iraq why is he pursuing it with the Palestinians?