>>>>>tek has observed that Dennis Ross is not among the more reliable sources here. Ross, if I remember the history correctly, was involved in ME negotiations under Bush I, cleaned up his resume to do the same with Clinton, and now has cleaned up his resume again, hoping to get a position with Bush II. Sounds as if, from your rendering, he's gonna be successful.<<<<
It behooves me, in a politic manner, to inform you that your comments about Ross are nonsense.
He served as the institutional memory and usually the major negotiator for three Adminstrations in dealing with ME. Prior to that, he was among Reagan's braintrust on Soviet policy.
There is barely a significant negotiating event at which he was not a key participant, including Madrid in 1991 which ultimately led to Oslo, which led to the interim accords, which led to Camp David and Taba. Don't forget the Hebron accords and the Israel-Jordan peace treaty.
I don't think any American official has met more with Arafat and a variety of Israeli leaders--Shamir, Netanyahu, Peres, Barak, Sharon-or been fully engaged in negotiations over the last 10 or 12 years.
Any time in the last half dozen or more years, He probably could have jumped ship and doubled or tripled his salary by turning to lobbying or to Wall Street, as so many ranking officals do nowadays.
And unless you have a sugar daddy patron or independent wealth, it's tough living on a Government salary in high-cost Washington, particularily if you might have children to educate.
To suggest that he "cleaned up his resume" to get a job with Clinton" and "has now "cleanng up his resume again," in the hope of getting a job with Bush II is a slur. (I'll skip the adjective that goes with slur.)
He was kept on by Clinton for the same reasons that then-Secretary of State Schultz first brought him aboard--his keen mind and ability to handle negotiations in a manner to win the confidence of all sides-- and for the same reasons that Bush I kept him on.
He was also willing to work his @#$ off all those years on Foreign Service pay. I doubt very much that he's trying clean up his resume; he's got a pretty good one as it is. |
