This brand new poll asks:
Are you satisfied with the results of this latest Arab summit?
With about 800 answering so far (it is very early), 79% said no.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Hot debate as Obama's war drones on
By Gareth Porter
Asia Times
"Influential strategists in Washington are arguing that President Barack Obama's plan for deeper United States commitment to the Afghan war will actually strengthen jihadi groups and ignores the serious risk that an escalating war poses to Pakistan, where US Predator drone strikes are already vehemently unpopular. Such dissenting views, however, aren't gaining much traction on Capitol Hill....."
Asia Times
"Influential strategists in Washington are arguing that President Barack Obama's plan for deeper United States commitment to the Afghan war will actually strengthen jihadi groups and ignores the serious risk that an escalating war poses to Pakistan, where US Predator drone strikes are already vehemently unpopular. Such dissenting views, however, aren't gaining much traction on Capitol Hill....."
BEWARE THOSE TREATCHEROUS AFPAKS
By Eric Margolis
"President Barack Obama has now taken full ownership of the Afghanistan War. Gone are Washington’s pretenses that a western `coalition’ was waging this conflict. Gone, too, is the comic book term, `war on terrorism,’ replaced by the Orwellian sobriquet, `overseas contingency operations.’....."
"President Barack Obama has now taken full ownership of the Afghanistan War. Gone are Washington’s pretenses that a western `coalition’ was waging this conflict. Gone, too, is the comic book term, `war on terrorism,’ replaced by the Orwellian sobriquet, `overseas contingency operations.’....."
Another War Lost?
by William S. Lind, March 31, 2009
".....Here we see how little "change" the Obama administration really represents. The differences between the neo-liberals and the neocons are few. Both are militant believers in Brave New World, a globalist future in which everyone on earth becomes modern. In the view of these ideologues, the fact that billions of people are willing to fight to the death against modernity is, like the river Pregel, an unimportant military obstacle. We just need to buy more Predators.
Meanwhile, the money is running out. The ancien regime syndrome looms ever larger: we not only maintain but increase foolish foreign commitments, at the same time that debt is piling up, those willing to lend become fewer, and we are reduced to debasing the currency. Historians have seen it all before, many, many times. It never has a happy ending.
It appears Afghanistan will be the graveyard of yet another empire. "
".....Here we see how little "change" the Obama administration really represents. The differences between the neo-liberals and the neocons are few. Both are militant believers in Brave New World, a globalist future in which everyone on earth becomes modern. In the view of these ideologues, the fact that billions of people are willing to fight to the death against modernity is, like the river Pregel, an unimportant military obstacle. We just need to buy more Predators.
Meanwhile, the money is running out. The ancien regime syndrome looms ever larger: we not only maintain but increase foolish foreign commitments, at the same time that debt is piling up, those willing to lend become fewer, and we are reduced to debasing the currency. Historians have seen it all before, many, many times. It never has a happy ending.
It appears Afghanistan will be the graveyard of yet another empire. "
ملاسنة على مستوى القمة
ملاسنة على مستوى القمة
عبد الباري عطوان
"من يتابع ما جرى ويجري في اجتماعات قمة الدوحة العربية العادية التي اختتمت اعمالها بشكل مفاجئ مساء امس، اي يوم انعقادها نفسه، يشعر بالحزن لما آلت اليه هذه المؤسسة التي من المفترض ان تكون المرجعية العربية الأكثر تنظيماً وجدية، بحكم تمثيلها للنظام الرسمي، ودورها في ترتيب اوضاع البيت الداخلي، ووضع استراتيجيات مشتركة حول كيفية التعامل مع القضايا والتحديات الرئيسية.
القمة بدأت بقنبلة 'غير موقوتة'، وان كان جرى الاعداد لها بشكل جيد، فجّرها الزعيم الليبي معمر القذافي في ساعتها الاولى، عندما حاول 'الثأر' لملاسنة سابقة، في قمة سابقة (قبل ست سنوات) مع العاهل السعودي الملك عبدالله بن عبد العزيز، وتحولت الى النقطة الأبرز، ان لم تكن الوحيدة على جدول الأعمال،
.....
المواطن العربي المثخن بجراح البطالة والأمية وسوء الخدمات الأساسية يراقب هذا المشهد المأساوي عبر شاشات التلفزة عن بعد، ويزداد اكتئاباً ويأساً، فهو لا ينكر مدى سوء اوضاع حكامه وأنظمتهم، ولكنه لم يتوقع مطلقاً ان يكون هذا السوء بلا قاع
.....
ولعل السؤال الاكثر احراجاً هو عن ترددهم في سحب مبادرة السلام العربية حتى الآن، بعد ان قوبلت بالاحتقار من قبل الاسرائيليين والامريكان داعميهم منذ تقديمها للمرة الاولى قبل ست سنوات، والبحث في الوقت نفسه عن بدائل قوية، تعيد الحقوق العربية وتوقف مسلسل الاهانات الاسرائيلية
......
يخطىء الرئيس البشير اذا عوّل كثيراً على زملائه الزعماء العرب في انقاذه من محنته هذه، فهؤلاء لم ينصروا زميلين لهم، الاول اسمه صدام حسين جرى تعليقه على حبل المشنقة فجر عيد الاضحى المبارك امام اعينهم، اما الآخر واسمه ياسر عرفات فقد حوصر لأكثر من ثلاث سنوات في مقره بمدينة رام الله، دون ان يتصل به، او يهاتفه احد، حتى استشهد مسموماً، دون ان يطالب احد بالتحقيق في اسباب وفاته
....."
عبد الباري عطوان
"من يتابع ما جرى ويجري في اجتماعات قمة الدوحة العربية العادية التي اختتمت اعمالها بشكل مفاجئ مساء امس، اي يوم انعقادها نفسه، يشعر بالحزن لما آلت اليه هذه المؤسسة التي من المفترض ان تكون المرجعية العربية الأكثر تنظيماً وجدية، بحكم تمثيلها للنظام الرسمي، ودورها في ترتيب اوضاع البيت الداخلي، ووضع استراتيجيات مشتركة حول كيفية التعامل مع القضايا والتحديات الرئيسية.
القمة بدأت بقنبلة 'غير موقوتة'، وان كان جرى الاعداد لها بشكل جيد، فجّرها الزعيم الليبي معمر القذافي في ساعتها الاولى، عندما حاول 'الثأر' لملاسنة سابقة، في قمة سابقة (قبل ست سنوات) مع العاهل السعودي الملك عبدالله بن عبد العزيز، وتحولت الى النقطة الأبرز، ان لم تكن الوحيدة على جدول الأعمال،
.....
المواطن العربي المثخن بجراح البطالة والأمية وسوء الخدمات الأساسية يراقب هذا المشهد المأساوي عبر شاشات التلفزة عن بعد، ويزداد اكتئاباً ويأساً، فهو لا ينكر مدى سوء اوضاع حكامه وأنظمتهم، ولكنه لم يتوقع مطلقاً ان يكون هذا السوء بلا قاع
.....
ولعل السؤال الاكثر احراجاً هو عن ترددهم في سحب مبادرة السلام العربية حتى الآن، بعد ان قوبلت بالاحتقار من قبل الاسرائيليين والامريكان داعميهم منذ تقديمها للمرة الاولى قبل ست سنوات، والبحث في الوقت نفسه عن بدائل قوية، تعيد الحقوق العربية وتوقف مسلسل الاهانات الاسرائيلية
......
يخطىء الرئيس البشير اذا عوّل كثيراً على زملائه الزعماء العرب في انقاذه من محنته هذه، فهؤلاء لم ينصروا زميلين لهم، الاول اسمه صدام حسين جرى تعليقه على حبل المشنقة فجر عيد الاضحى المبارك امام اعينهم، اما الآخر واسمه ياسر عرفات فقد حوصر لأكثر من ثلاث سنوات في مقره بمدينة رام الله، دون ان يتصل به، او يهاتفه احد، حتى استشهد مسموماً، دون ان يطالب احد بالتحقيق في اسباب وفاته
....."
Monday, March 30, 2009
What a Farcical Abrupt Ending to the Summit of the Arab Eunuchs! How Do You Top This???
Libya's Gadhafi storms out of Arab summit in Qatar
AP
"DOHA, Qatar – Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi stormed out of an Arab summit on Monday after denouncing the Saudi king and declaring himself "the dean of Arab rulers."
Gadhafi disrupted the opening Arab League summit in Qatar by taking a microphone and criticizing Saudi's King Abdullah, calling him a "British product and American ally."
When the Qatari emir tried to quiet him, the Libyan leader and current Africa Union chairman insisted he be allowed to speak.
"I am an international leader, the dean of the Arab rulers, the king of kings of Africa and the imam (leader) of Muslims, and my international status does not allow me to descend to a lower level," Gadhafi said......
"Now after six years, it has proved that you were the liar," Gadhafi told Abdullah, adding that he now considered their "problem" over and was ready to reconcile......"
AP
"DOHA, Qatar – Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi stormed out of an Arab summit on Monday after denouncing the Saudi king and declaring himself "the dean of Arab rulers."
Gadhafi disrupted the opening Arab League summit in Qatar by taking a microphone and criticizing Saudi's King Abdullah, calling him a "British product and American ally."
When the Qatari emir tried to quiet him, the Libyan leader and current Africa Union chairman insisted he be allowed to speak.
"I am an international leader, the dean of the Arab rulers, the king of kings of Africa and the imam (leader) of Muslims, and my international status does not allow me to descend to a lower level," Gadhafi said......
"Now after six years, it has proved that you were the liar," Gadhafi told Abdullah, adding that he now considered their "problem" over and was ready to reconcile......"
Al-Jazeera Video: Gazans want action not words from Arab summit - 30 Mar 09
"Israel's war on Gaza has left 100,000 homeless, they have nowhere to go.
Arab states have pledged millions of dollars to reconstruct Gaza, but the money hasnt come through.
The people of Gaza have had enough of empty promises, they remain deeply skeptical as to whether the Arab Summit will offer them anything other than rhetorical support.
From Gaza, Al Jazeera's Sherine Tadros reports on what residents want from this summit. "
Al-Jazeera Video: Focus on Gaza - White Phosphorous
Part 1:
Part 2:
"In this week's show we hear how Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of war crimes for it's unlawful use of white phosphorous. Mike Kirsch a town in the US where white phosphorous is manufactured and shows locals the true human cost of the weapon.
Survivors of the war in Gaza take legal action and we meet a mother burnt by white phosphorous who tells her story. "
Part 2:
"In this week's show we hear how Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of war crimes for it's unlawful use of white phosphorous. Mike Kirsch a town in the US where white phosphorous is manufactured and shows locals the true human cost of the weapon.
Survivors of the war in Gaza take legal action and we meet a mother burnt by white phosphorous who tells her story. "
Real News Video: Geithner's Oligarchs
Engdahl: Obama must confront the oligarchical power of Wall Street to solve crisis
"F Wiliam Engdahl, economist, author, and risk consultant speaks to Paul Jay about Geithner's plan to rescue the financial institutions in the United States. Engdahl says the plan doesn't address the concentration of financial power in the United States, that is based in five major financial institutions. He says his plan is like a "band aid for a bad hemorrhage""
"F Wiliam Engdahl, economist, author, and risk consultant speaks to Paul Jay about Geithner's plan to rescue the financial institutions in the United States. Engdahl says the plan doesn't address the concentration of financial power in the United States, that is based in five major financial institutions. He says his plan is like a "band aid for a bad hemorrhage""
Lexicon of Resistance
By Gilad Atzmon
Palestine Think Tank
"The following is an attempt to present my own personal dictionary of what seems to be the most charged terminology and concepts attached to the Palestinian solidarity and anti-war discourse.
Palestine- a piece of land on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. For many years Palestine was the home of the Palestinian people: Muslims, Christians and Jews who lived in peace and harmony for hundred of years. In the late 19th century, in the light of emerging European nationalism, a few Jews had decided that Jews should not be left out. They then invented the notions of: ”Jewish people”, ”Jewish history” and ”Jewish nationalism”. They decided to settle the majority of world Jewry in Palestine.......
Chicken Soup- is what is left once you strip Jewish identity of Judaism, racism, chauvinism, White Phosphorous, supremacy, cluster bombs, secularity, Zionism, Israel, intolerance, Nuclear reactor in Dimona, cosmopolitanism, genocidal tendency, etc. The Jew can always revert to chicken soup, the iconic symbolic identifier of Jewish cultural affiliation......"
Palestine Think Tank
"The following is an attempt to present my own personal dictionary of what seems to be the most charged terminology and concepts attached to the Palestinian solidarity and anti-war discourse.
Palestine- a piece of land on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. For many years Palestine was the home of the Palestinian people: Muslims, Christians and Jews who lived in peace and harmony for hundred of years. In the late 19th century, in the light of emerging European nationalism, a few Jews had decided that Jews should not be left out. They then invented the notions of: ”Jewish people”, ”Jewish history” and ”Jewish nationalism”. They decided to settle the majority of world Jewry in Palestine.......
Chicken Soup- is what is left once you strip Jewish identity of Judaism, racism, chauvinism, White Phosphorous, supremacy, cluster bombs, secularity, Zionism, Israel, intolerance, Nuclear reactor in Dimona, cosmopolitanism, genocidal tendency, etc. The Jew can always revert to chicken soup, the iconic symbolic identifier of Jewish cultural affiliation......"
Pro-Zionism: Defending the Indefensible
by Stephen Lendman
Global Research, March 30, 2009
"....According to international lawyer Franklin Lamb, "the handwriting....is on the wall....history will reject the colonial enterprise sooner or later."
The report also predicts the return of all Palestinian refugees to their homeland and the exodus of two million Israeli Jews to America in the next 15 years. They're fed up and want to leave. Omitted from the report, or at least unrevealed, is that short of an equitable resolution to the long-standing Palestinian conflict, Israel eventually will destroy itself. Nations that live by the sword, die by it, and Israel is no exception.
The alternative is peace and reconciliation, something Israel flatly rejects. Unless that changes, its very existence is at stake, what history teaches but Israel has yet to learn."
Global Research, March 30, 2009
"....According to international lawyer Franklin Lamb, "the handwriting....is on the wall....history will reject the colonial enterprise sooner or later."
The report also predicts the return of all Palestinian refugees to their homeland and the exodus of two million Israeli Jews to America in the next 15 years. They're fed up and want to leave. Omitted from the report, or at least unrevealed, is that short of an equitable resolution to the long-standing Palestinian conflict, Israel eventually will destroy itself. Nations that live by the sword, die by it, and Israel is no exception.
The alternative is peace and reconciliation, something Israel flatly rejects. Unless that changes, its very existence is at stake, what history teaches but Israel has yet to learn."
Palestinians remember Land Day
Jonathan Cook
The National
March 30. 2009
"Arrabeh, Israel // Palestinians across the Middle East were due to commemorate Land Day today, marking the anniversary of clashes in 1976 in which six unarmed Palestinians were shot dead by the Israeli army as it tried to break up a general strike.
Although Land Day is one of the most important anniversaries in the Palestinian calendar, sometimes referred to as the Palestinians’ national day, the historical event it marks is little spoken of and rarely studied.
“Maybe its significance is surprising given the magnitude of other events in Palestinian history,” said Hatim Kanaaneh, 71, a doctor, who witnessed the military invasion of his village.
“But what makes Land Day resonate with Palestinians everywhere is that it was the first time Palestinians inside Israel stood together and successfully resisted Israel’s goal of confiscating their land.”......."
The National
March 30. 2009
"Arrabeh, Israel // Palestinians across the Middle East were due to commemorate Land Day today, marking the anniversary of clashes in 1976 in which six unarmed Palestinians were shot dead by the Israeli army as it tried to break up a general strike.
Although Land Day is one of the most important anniversaries in the Palestinian calendar, sometimes referred to as the Palestinians’ national day, the historical event it marks is little spoken of and rarely studied.
“Maybe its significance is surprising given the magnitude of other events in Palestinian history,” said Hatim Kanaaneh, 71, a doctor, who witnessed the military invasion of his village.
“But what makes Land Day resonate with Palestinians everywhere is that it was the first time Palestinians inside Israel stood together and successfully resisted Israel’s goal of confiscating their land.”......."
Obstruction of Justice
By Chris Hedges
"The facts surrounding the trial and imprisonment of Dr. Sami Al-Arian have severely tarnished the integrity of the American judicial system and made the government’s vaunted campaign against terrorism look capricious, inept and overtly racist....
Kromberg, like many involved in the case, has also repeatedly made derogatory and insulting comments about Muslims. When Al-Arian’s lawyers asked Kromberg to delay the transfer of the professor to Virginia, for example, because of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, they were told “if they can kill each other during Ramadan they can appear before the grand jury.” Kromberg, according to an affidavit signed by Al-Arian’s attorney, Jack Fernandez, also said: “I am not going to put off Dr. Al-Arian’s grand jury appearance just to assist in what is becoming the Islamization of America.”
Judge Brinkema, in one of the rare examples of judicial courage during this saga, defied the government to allow Al-Arian out on bail.
The case against Al-Arian, in the eyes of the grand inquisitors like Kromberg, is a battle against a culture and a religion that they openly denigrate and despise. This racism, the driving engine behind the campaign against Al-Arian, mocks the integrity of the American judicial system. Let us hope that in a few weeks we will witness a new era. Justice delayed is better than justice denied. We owe Dr. Al-Arian, and ourselves, a return to the rule of law. "
Rendezvous Gaza! Support the Free Gaza HOPE FLEET and help SHATTER the Israeli Siege!
The Free Gaza Movement
"DEAR FRIENDS: The Free Gaza Movement will again challenge Israel's illegal closure of the Gaza Strip and collective punishment of its civilian population by sailing the HOPE FLEET, a flotilla of passenger and cargo ships, to Gaza at the end of May 2009 - to be followed by freedom riders this summer. We are turning to you, our friends & supporters, to help make Hope come alive......"
"DEAR FRIENDS: The Free Gaza Movement will again challenge Israel's illegal closure of the Gaza Strip and collective punishment of its civilian population by sailing the HOPE FLEET, a flotilla of passenger and cargo ships, to Gaza at the end of May 2009 - to be followed by freedom riders this summer. We are turning to you, our friends & supporters, to help make Hope come alive......"
Camp David Accord Unacceptable to Many
By Adam Morrow and Khaled Moussa Al-Omrani
"CAIRO, Mar 30 (IPS) - Egyptian and Israeli officials celebrated the anniversary of the Camp David peace agreement last week. The agreement normalised relations between the two former adversaries 30 years earlier on Mar. 26. Opposition leaders, however, are calling for a suspension of the treaty, which they say fails to serve Egyptian interests.
"The terms of the agreement infringe on Egypt's national sovereignty and diminish its ability to defend itself," Abdelhalim Kandil, political analyst and prominent opposition journalist told IPS. "By calling for the suspension of Camp David, we're merely calling for a restoration of Egyptian sovereignty."......
"In the meantime, though, the opposition will step up calls for a popular referendum - held under international supervision - on whether or not to renew Camp David," he added. "If such a vote were ever taken, I'm sure this odious agreement would be soundly rejected by the people." "
"CAIRO, Mar 30 (IPS) - Egyptian and Israeli officials celebrated the anniversary of the Camp David peace agreement last week. The agreement normalised relations between the two former adversaries 30 years earlier on Mar. 26. Opposition leaders, however, are calling for a suspension of the treaty, which they say fails to serve Egyptian interests.
"The terms of the agreement infringe on Egypt's national sovereignty and diminish its ability to defend itself," Abdelhalim Kandil, political analyst and prominent opposition journalist told IPS. "By calling for the suspension of Camp David, we're merely calling for a restoration of Egyptian sovereignty."......
"In the meantime, though, the opposition will step up calls for a popular referendum - held under international supervision - on whether or not to renew Camp David," he added. "If such a vote were ever taken, I'm sure this odious agreement would be soundly rejected by the people." "
MIDEAST: All Change, and Nothing Changes
Analysis by Jerrold Kessel and Pierre Klochendler
"JERUSALEM, Mar 30 (IPS) - In the Middle East this week it's all change. In fact, it's all diplomatic stasis. Neither Monday's Arab League summit in Doha nor Tuesday's induction of a new Israeli government in Jerusalem is likely to break or even ease the conflict deadlock that grips the region......"
"JERUSALEM, Mar 30 (IPS) - In the Middle East this week it's all change. In fact, it's all diplomatic stasis. Neither Monday's Arab League summit in Doha nor Tuesday's induction of a new Israeli government in Jerusalem is likely to break or even ease the conflict deadlock that grips the region......"
Biberman & Co.
By Uri Avnery
Palestine Chronicle
".....But deceiving like dancing the tango, takes two: one who deceives and one who wants to be deceived.
Netanyahu believes that Obama will want to be deceived. Why would he want to quarrel with Israel, confront the mighty pro-Israel lobby and the US Congress, when he can settle for soothing words from Netanyahu? Not to mention Europe, divided and ridden by Holocaust guilt, and the pathetic Tony Blair moving around like a restless ghost.
Is Obama ready to play, like most of his predecessors, the role of the deceived lover?
The Biberman/Bibarak/Bibiyahu government believes that the answer is a resounding yes. I hope that it will be a resounding No."
Palestine Chronicle
".....But deceiving like dancing the tango, takes two: one who deceives and one who wants to be deceived.
Netanyahu believes that Obama will want to be deceived. Why would he want to quarrel with Israel, confront the mighty pro-Israel lobby and the US Congress, when he can settle for soothing words from Netanyahu? Not to mention Europe, divided and ridden by Holocaust guilt, and the pathetic Tony Blair moving around like a restless ghost.
Is Obama ready to play, like most of his predecessors, the role of the deceived lover?
The Biberman/Bibarak/Bibiyahu government believes that the answer is a resounding yes. I hope that it will be a resounding No."
Please tell me, where is Israel headed?
By John J. Mearsheimer
".....My bottom line is that Israel, with the backing of the lobby, is pursuing a remarkably foolish -- Ehud Olmert would say suicidal -- policy towards the Palestinians.
I would appreciate it greatly if Israel's American backers would explain what I am missing here. They must think that there is a happy ending to this story that Olmert and I simply fail to see. Otherwise they would not be backing the Greater Israel enterprise. There is no need for Christian Zionists to respond, because I know what their happy ending is: the Battle of Armageddon and then the Second Coming of Christ. Israel's Jewish backers do not buy this story, which, in fact, many consider anti-Semitic. But they must have an alternative explanation for how Greater Israel is good for the Jews. What is it? "
Syria Calling
The Obama Administration’s chance to engage in a Middle East peace.
Highly Recommended Reading (as usual by Hersh, a long article but well worth reading)
by Seymour M. Hersh
The New Yorker
"......He called on the Arab world to boycott Israel, close any Israeli embassies in the region, and sever all “direct or indirect ties with Israel.” Syria, Assad said, had ended its talks over the Golan Heights.
Nonetheless, a few days after the Israeli ceasefire in Gaza, Assad said in an e-mail to me that although Israel was “doing everything possible to undermine the prospects for peace,” he was still very interested in closing the deal. “We have to wait a little while to see how things will evolve and how the situation will change,” Assad said. “We still believe that we need to conclude a serious dialogue to lead us to peace.”
American and foreign government officials, intelligence officers, diplomats, and politicians said in interviews that renewed Israeli-Syrian negotiations over the Golan Heights are now highly likely, despite Gaza and the elections in Israel in February, which left the Likud Party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, at the head of a coalition that includes both the far right and Labor. Those talks would depend largely on America’s willingness to act as the mediator......
A senior Syrian official explained that Israel’s failure to unseat Hamas from power in Gaza, despite the scale of the war, gave Assad enough political room to continue the negotiations without losing credibility in the Arab world. Assad also has the support of Arab leaders who are invested in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Sheikh Hamid bin Khalifa al-Thani, the ruler of Qatar, said last month when I saw him in Doha that Assad must take any reasonable steps he can to keep the talks going. “Syria is eager to engage with the West,” he said, “an eagerness that was never perceived by the Bush White House. Anything is possible, as long as peace is being pursued.”
A major change in American policy toward Syria is clearly under way.....
He added, “The Syrians have been ready since the 1993 Oslo Accords to do a separate deal.” ......
Many Israelis and Americans involved in the process believe that a deal on the Golan Heights could be a way to isolate Iran, one of Syria’s closest allies, and to moderate Syria’s support for Hamas and for Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite group.....
....Kerry said in an interview in his Senate office. “Our latest conversation gave me a much greater sense that Assad is willing to do the things that he needs to do in order to change his relationship with the United States. He told me he’s willing to engage positively with Iraq, and have direct discussions with Israel over the Golan Heights—with Americans at the table. I will encourage the Administration to take him up on it......"
Highly Recommended Reading (as usual by Hersh, a long article but well worth reading)
by Seymour M. Hersh
The New Yorker
"......He called on the Arab world to boycott Israel, close any Israeli embassies in the region, and sever all “direct or indirect ties with Israel.” Syria, Assad said, had ended its talks over the Golan Heights.
Nonetheless, a few days after the Israeli ceasefire in Gaza, Assad said in an e-mail to me that although Israel was “doing everything possible to undermine the prospects for peace,” he was still very interested in closing the deal. “We have to wait a little while to see how things will evolve and how the situation will change,” Assad said. “We still believe that we need to conclude a serious dialogue to lead us to peace.”
American and foreign government officials, intelligence officers, diplomats, and politicians said in interviews that renewed Israeli-Syrian negotiations over the Golan Heights are now highly likely, despite Gaza and the elections in Israel in February, which left the Likud Party leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, at the head of a coalition that includes both the far right and Labor. Those talks would depend largely on America’s willingness to act as the mediator......
A senior Syrian official explained that Israel’s failure to unseat Hamas from power in Gaza, despite the scale of the war, gave Assad enough political room to continue the negotiations without losing credibility in the Arab world. Assad also has the support of Arab leaders who are invested in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Sheikh Hamid bin Khalifa al-Thani, the ruler of Qatar, said last month when I saw him in Doha that Assad must take any reasonable steps he can to keep the talks going. “Syria is eager to engage with the West,” he said, “an eagerness that was never perceived by the Bush White House. Anything is possible, as long as peace is being pursued.”
A major change in American policy toward Syria is clearly under way.....
He added, “The Syrians have been ready since the 1993 Oslo Accords to do a separate deal.” ......
Many Israelis and Americans involved in the process believe that a deal on the Golan Heights could be a way to isolate Iran, one of Syria’s closest allies, and to moderate Syria’s support for Hamas and for Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite group.....
....Kerry said in an interview in his Senate office. “Our latest conversation gave me a much greater sense that Assad is willing to do the things that he needs to do in order to change his relationship with the United States. He told me he’s willing to engage positively with Iraq, and have direct discussions with Israel over the Golan Heights—with Americans at the table. I will encourage the Administration to take him up on it......"
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