[fogarty]

"I've asked Secretary Powell to work intensively with Middle Eastern and international leaders to realize the vision of a Palestinian state, focusing them on a comprehensive plan to support Palestinian reform and institution-building. "

It appears very clear to me that Powell's appeasement of Arafat and coddling of the terrorists is coming from none other than Bush himself.

[ResistorSister]

From the end of the speech...Speech in a nutshell:

This moment is both an opportunity and a test for all parties in the Middle East: an opportunity to lay the foundations for future peace; a test to show who is serious about peace and who is not. The choice here is stark and simple. The Bible says, "I have set before you life and death; therefore, choose life." The time has arrived for everyone in this conflict to choose peace, and hope, and life.

[Shermy]

For decades you've been treated as pawns in the Middle East conflict.

Interesting, but to elliptical. Govt. needs to come out and say why they are being used as pawns - deflection by other countries, propping up oil prices, etc.

[tallhappy]

Wow.

Goodbye Arafat.

[OK]

I expect Israel to respond and work toward a final status agreement.

I wonder if a final status agreement is something like "the final solution". The only way Israel will have peace with Islamists will be when there is no Jewish Israel.

[Mike Darancette]

I call on the Palestinian people to elect new leaders, leaders not compromised by terror.

It seems that, like Moses, Arafat was just told by a burning (angry) Bush that he will not lead his people into the Promised Land.

[Travis McGee]

"Your commitments to morality, and learning, and tolerance led to great historical achievements.

Where? When? Okay, Spain for a little while. Where in the other centuries in the other 90% of the islamic world?

And those values are alive in the Islamic world today.

Where?

You have a rich culture, and you share the aspirations of men and women in every culture. Prosperity and freedom and dignity are not just American hopes, or Western hopes. They are universal, human hopes.

There is no hope of a solution while Bush is still delusional.

[BenF]

I have a hope for the people of Muslim countries. Your commitments to morality, and learning, and tolerance led to great historical achievements. And those values are alive in the Islamic world today. You have a rich culture, and you share the aspirations of men and women in every culture. P

Amazing that the President could say this with a straight face.

[LarryM]

[This view of the speech by IMRA reflects my own views. The speech was a vile act of appeasement.]

Bush speech based on false premises fails to address serious challenges

Aaron Lerner Date: 24 June 2002

Following in the tradition of President Clinton, US President George Bush opened his speech this evening by asserting that only a minority of Palestinians share the views of the terrorists ("hatred of a few") when in truth polls of Palestinians consistently show that the overwhelming majority of Palestinians support terror against Israel.

This is a fundamental problem, because if the Palestinian public supports terror and a hard line position (e.g. on right of return and other issues) then the introduction of democracy, free speech and proper government will still ultimately be a Palestinian terror state.

The reality of the Middle East is indeed tough.

Mr. Bush may wax eloquently about the "value of tolerance alive in the Moslem world", but he knows full well that this is simply not true. The "tolerant" Saudis are so intolerant that they won't even permit American forces stationed on Saudi soil to openly attend Church. And every Friday those "tolerant" Saudis broadcast sermons on official Saudi TV calling for death to the Jews.

Yes, Mr. Bush calls for the Palestinian state-in-the-making to "dismantle the terror infrastructure". But Mr. Bush oddly leaves out the largest terror group in the area today - Arafat's own Fatah Tanzim - from his list (he mentioned Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah and Hamas).
So what do we have?

A democratically elected terror state with a more efficient Palestine Liberation Army (Mr. Bush said nothing about reducing the size or the arms held by the Palestine Liberation Army) with probably the largest terror militia still intact.

And with the international community - including the US State Department - judging Palestinian compliance, one can count one a "automatic pass" no matter what the Palestinians actually do.

This is not the formula for peace but instead the road map for the destruction of Israel in stages.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director
IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
pager 03-610666 subscriber 4811
Website: http://www.imra.org.il

[RightWhale]

That's good. Write a new constitution that does not contain any reference to Israel. There are many more ideas, but this is enough for one post.

[Ramius]

Good speech.

[OldFriend]

Every commentator on TV saying that this speech couldn't have pleased the Israeli's more if they had written it themselves. Barak is pleased......all comments directly from Israel stating great satisfaction with the plan. The stock market going up the entire time the President spoke.

I put the radio on and the 'expert' Sean Hannity is bashing the President and suggesting this is all about appeasing terrorists.

[Recovering_Democrat]

The United States, along with the European Union and Arab states, will work with Palestinian leaders to create a new constitutional framework, and a working democracy for the Palestinian people.

Respectfully, what incentive exists for the non-democratic Arab states to work for a democratic Palestinian state?

[D-fendr]

Well done, Mr. President.

Radical Islam will not accept your terms of democracy, they see it as opposition to their goal of theocracy and Islamic world domination. But we cannot accept that and if the Palestinians choose these leaders and goals, then our only option is to defeat them, and bring more misery upon these people.

This speech is clear and right. I hope the Palestinians choose the right path.

[thoughtomator]

This speech is simply amazing, kudos to Bush. All you people who are trying to put him down... pull your heads out of your asses. This speech provides for the #1 most important thing in the Israel-Arab conflict... the prompt removal of Arafat. There's no equivocation at all about Israel, he clearly and truthfully states that they are well within their rights to defend themselves. Of course he's going to sugar-coat his words about the Muslim world. It is not our intention nor in our interests to make this a religious war. It is a war about truth, justice, and the American way.

[MeekOneGOP]

There ya go.......

[sakic]

History of Israel

[ex-snook]

Thanks for posting the speech. President Bush has given both sides enough rope to hang themselves. Let's see if the Palestinians will find it easier to suppress their 'wipe out the Jews from Palestine' hard-liners or the Israelis to suppress their 'wipe out the Palestinians from the West Bank' hard-liners.

Will the 'settlers become Palestine citizens or not? Let the games begin.

[KissOfTheSith]

>"It is untenable for Israeli citizens to live in terror. It is untenable for Palestinians to live in squalor and occupation."

There you go. Nobody even had to wait for it. First sentence, second paragraph.

Equating the Israelis to the Palestinians.

It wasn't the Israelis singing and dancing in the streets after the 9/11 attack. That was the Palestinians.

Clearly, Bush is not insane.

Then why would he continue this irrational, horrible and hopeless course of embracing the Palestinians, and CONCEPTUALLY giving them equal status to real, honest-to-goodness civilized people?!

There is going to be big trouble ahead. When you insist on driving toward a river after passing half a dozen signs that read "Bridge Out" there's really no excuse for a surprised look on your face when you start drowning...

--KotS

[oldvike]

Bush has called for the creation of a palestinian state today. Therefore, he is rewarding terrorism. Basically he's telling terrorists that if they commit enough terror they will get what they want.