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Politics : Israel to U.S. : Now Deal with Syria and Iran -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ed Huang who wrote (989)	5/28/2003 8:05:01 PM
From: rrufff	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 22250

I don't and most in Israel wouldn't if there were peace. Labor or a more moderate party would be in power if there were peace. Arafart just can't be trusted. He's is going to keep his grubby hands on the money and power. He really does not care about his people or even his historical "name." He has amassed an estimated $1 billion while his people starve and kill themselves.

To: Ed Huang who wrote (989)	5/29/2003 6:07:05 AM
From: Crimson Ghost	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 22250

Reasons not to celebrate Iraq victory Talk backJoin a forum on James O. Goldsborough's columns. ArchiveRead past columns. BioJames O. Goldsborough's biography. E-mailE-mail James O. Goldsborough. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ James O. Goldsborough May 22, 2003 Two months after the Iraq war was launched, ask yourself this question: "Are the United States, Iraq and the world safer places?" Terrorist acts are up, with bombings last week in Saudi Arabia and Morocco, and we are told al-Qaeda is on the march again. The Israel-Palestinian conflict has turned into perpetual terrorism by both sides. America enters the Memorial Day weekend on high terror alert. The CIA warned months ago that war in Iraq would increase terrorism, which is what made the war such an exercise in perversity. The bombings in Saudi Arabia were no surprise. The Saudis opposed Bush's war, and now the U.S.-Saudi relationship, so strong for so long, is unraveling. Bush's advisers shed no tears over the Saudis. One of their aims in Iraq was to marginalize Saudi Arabia. Those advisers wanted a war that helped Israel and think they've succeeded. Israel's hawks are soaring, and Ariel Sharon's clear plan is to take more Palestinian land while pretending to negotiate peace. There will be no Palestinian state with Sharon, and if Bush thinks war brought a deal closer, he is, as someone said recently of Newt Gingrich, "off his meds." Bush's policy is marked by a fatal flaw in reasoning: His advisers sold him the idea that Iraq was the cause of Middle East instability. The truth is that Iraq is on the periphery. Saddam's departure makes the situation worse, for in addition to fueling the terrorism predicted by the CIA, it has created anarchy in Iraq itself. Anarchy, for time immemorial, is the patriarch of terrorism. The Pentagon, so good at fighting wars, has no talent at nation-building. The best thing Bush could do before anarchy completely devours Iraq is to invite those people in who know something about peacekeeping, reconstruction and nation-building to help us out before it is too late. I'm talking about our allies and the United Nations. Unfortunately, the Bush people are too arrogant and vindictive to seek the help that could save the situation. Bush makes no greater mistake than to insist America has the wisdom and capacity to govern and rebuild Iraq alone. We cannot do it, and improvisation is leading to disaster. What are Bush's answers to these questions: Should the Pentagon or State Department be in charge for now? Should we work toward a provisional government or interim administration? How is crime to be policed and stopped? What to do with the Baathists? More: How are the Kurds to be kept in Iraq? How are Muslims to be kept from creating an Islamic republic? Where are the weapons of mass destruction? Who will control the oil? Who is going to pay? For Bush to argue that America doesn't need help in answering these questions is inexcusable hubris. The bombings in Saudi Arabia and Morocco and the increase in mutual terrorism in Israel-Palestine should surprise no one. While Don Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle pontificate on the rise of Middle East democracy, the "street" has other ideas. Will terrorist bombs move pro-West Arab regimes closer to democracy or further away? Every Arab regime except the Gulf protectorates opposed Bush's war, for while Wolfowitz lectured about Jeffersonian democracy, Arab leaders feared his war would animate Muslim fundamentalism. Can any rational being believe the U.S. occupation of Iraq will bring Saudi Arabia closer to democracy and closer to turning off the Saudi fount of terrorism? And what of the Palestinians? Bush has walked into a trap of his own making – or rather of his advisers' making. They told him Saddam's ouster would take pressure off Israel, lay the foundation for an Israeli-Palestinian deal, the famous "road map" for peace creating the new state of Palestine, side by side in peace with Israel. The truth is that Saddam's fall and the spread of CIA-predicted terrorism make it easier for Sharon to reject the road map and crush the Palestinians, who naturally retaliate. Once again, Colin Powell is caught in the middle. After he carried the road map to Israel, Sharon lost no time saying the White House doesn't agree with Powell. This week, the White House hints Bush may go to the region himself. In present circumstances, it's hard to think of a more perilous idea. America, the Middle East and the world are less secure today than before Bush's war. That was as predictable as the autumn leaves. The Pentagon destroyed a Third World nation with smart bombs, but roused the world against us. While Americans shout hosannas and wave Memorial Day flags, the consequences of Bush's war are just beginning to appear. The beast of Baghdad was destroyed. The discovery of mass graves proves – if anyone had any doubts – that Saddam ruled his country by fear and by murder. We have destroyed the beast and created a monster. Bush's war was advertised as a solution to the problem, but signs multiply that the problem is greater than ever – including in Iraq. Americans celebrate the great victory, but it is a victory that begins to look like Tet. Remember Tet? We won that fight against the Vietnamese, too. But who won the war?