Power politics in the Middle East

Washington Times ^ | Tuesday, June 25, 2002 | Tod Lindberg

[JohnHuang2]

The twists and turns of the Bush administration's Middle East diplomacy are the product of the interaction of two basic truths: Everybody knows what the final status looks like, and nobody has the foggiest idea of how to get from here to there.

[JohnHuang2]

Tuesday, June 25, 2002

Quote of the Day by ShandaLear

[Jumper]

The Europeans argue that America has always used it's size and the will to enforce policies among various parties, e.g., trade, war, diplomacy, etc. So America during the Clinton Administration withdrew from being strong and making people get along. Now everyone wants to know why? Liberals and liberal dreams are not consistent with reality. Hardliners, either the terrorist or liberal type, know only one way and is to literally not comprise - not engage in negotations. So a liberal administration withdrew from the negotation table and "asked" that everyone adhere to the dream of Peace - World Peace - kinda like a beauty pagent....

And, no, America will not impose a peace upon a region in this Age of UN and World Governments, but America will go to war to protect its self interest which is very divergent from that of say, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere. This pursuit of American Self Interest, and America "asking" the World to take care of itself is the judopax or crossroads that the World is trying to live with - they will have to provide for their own common defenses and make their own choices for security, trade, diplomacy and lastly, peace.