Blog @ MoreWhat.com

While the recent decision by the Nobel committee to award the 2009 peace prize to President Obama focused more attention on the US leader no more will be said about it in this post. US diplomatic strategy, success or failure, foreign policy and the role of the US State Dept and White House will be. All the talk about rebuilding America’s image, hope and change, a nuclear free world and ends to conflict needs a reality check. How are things going so far?

Not necessarily in order of importance what is on most peoples’ minds these days in terms of international relations or foreign affairs? From the US perspective the countries of note would include Russia, China, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, North Korea and Iran. Of course the perennial favorites not yet mentioned would be any country in the Middle East. Israel and its neighbors are still without solutions. Russia and China are still vying for top dog honors with the US on the world stage. Upstarts Iran and North Korea at the very least want a seat at the cool kids table. So nothing much has changed.

Here’s a brief recap of events in US diplomatic strategy with a ‘new’ President and Secretary of State.

Still no progress in Palestinian/Israeli peace talks

NECN/ABC) - President Barack Obama’s Mideast envoy, George Mitchell, left the region Sunday after failing again to get Israelis and Palestinians back to the bargaining table. The breakdown of peace talks is taking a toll on Obama’s prestige among Palestinians.

President Obama’s Middle East peace envoy on another trip to the region - more meetings - more handshakes with Israelis and Palestinians - but still no progress, no movement in the peace process.

Not a surprise to see a headline expressing failure in Middle East diplomacy no matter who is involved.

What about Iran?

Putin Says Iran Sanctions Talk Premature

By VOA News
14 October 2009

Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says it is premature to discuss sanctions against Iran for its controversial nuclear program.

And the view from the US Secretary of State…..

“I believe if sanctions become necessary, we will have support from Russia,” Clinton told ABC television in an interview on Wednesday.

This is merely a continuation of the impotent international community’s response to Iran’s nuclear weapons program that was essentially confirmed again with yet another lie exposed with admission of the previously hidden enrichment facility already known to the Obama Administration. And no one will visit the plant until later this month. Like that will solve anything.

Which makes this next sham almost laughable if it wasn’t so pathetic.

Obama to Preside at UN Security Council

By Margaret Besheer
The United Nations

The United States has taken over the rotating presidency of the 15-member United Nations Security Council for the month of September. U.S. President Barack Obama and other top U.S. political figures will be at the world body this month to highlight issues of importance to the United States.

Another rhetorical masterpiece expressing the desire for a nuclear free world without the substance to support such a notion. The exclamation point is provided by the appeasement strategy reminiscent of a similar process that helped usher in WWII.

And what was the defining achievement by press accounts for the SoS Hillary Rodham Clinton?

Hillary Clinton Helps Turkey, Armenia Open Border - ABC News

Clinton uses diplomatic muscle in Turkey-Armenia row | Politics …

Turkey, Armenia Agree to Ties; Clinton’s Skill Tested (Update1 …

The Daily Star - Politics - Clinton hails Turkey, Armenia steps …

Clinton Helps Save Historic Turkey, Armenia Accord - International …

A more accurate appraisal of Clinton’s participation may be the following…..

Clinton to Attend Turkey-Armenia Normalization Deal Signing

By David Gollust
State Department

The State Department said Thursday Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will fly to Zurich to attend Saturday’s signing of accords to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia.

A simple visit to the US State Dept website would bear this out. At least in terms of demonstrating that this State Dept is essentially no different from any other feeble attempt by heads of state to display their conviction to foreign relations or determination to improve conditions in the world. A visit to the website while producing this post featured the following items:

Positive Future for U.S.-Russian Relations

Finding Common Ground With Russia

Secretary Clinton Travels to Europe

U.S. Supports Peace in Northern Ireland

U.S. Supports Emergence of Afghan Government

U.S.-U.K. Advancing Shared Values

U.S.-Ireland Working Together

and travel puff pieces?

So much for the hope and change of a new administration in the US and statements expressed to suggest foreign policy would be successful.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Read a book. It’s possible this blog has never recommended reading a particular book other than Mark Levin’s Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto. But a recent visit to tsowell.com served up a reminder of a wise choice from many of Thomas Sowell’s suggested reading list. It is not new or the latest bestseller but that is certainly not a reason to discount it. In these times of social and political unrest not to mention terrorism and Jihad the book by Bernard Lewis entitled ‘ What Went Wrong’ is not only relevant but extremely well written and compelling. If you do not care to take this blog’s word for it, being on Sowell’s reading list should suffice.

Like any treatment of the topic discussed by Lewis it is not without its detractors. In the interest of fairness one search engine result that provides the dissenting viewpoint is linked here so you can have one recommendation accompanied by one random review by someone not impressed with the work or the author. It would not be surprising if this dissenting viewpoint is held by someone not fond of criticism toward someone or something they personally value, right or wrong.

A description of the book from Sowell’s site is presented here and hopefully Mr Sowell will not object.

A small book presenting a top scholar’s very readable account of the history that led the Islamic world from its pinnacles of achievement in the past to its present pathology and poisonous and dangerous hatreds.

How about a guess? Terrorists, Jihadis, Muslims and Islam will be offended. The rest of us will not. Give it a read and make up your own mind. Hopefully you have already accepted the earlier recommendation on Levin’s book and read that by now. It would not hurt to follow the link to Sowell’s lists, etc., to find other good reading material.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Over the years many published reports indicate terrorism is fostered in the West Bank and Gaza for the high unemployment, predominantly youthful population with no opportunity and a crowded populace living in poverty and dire conditions. Then how did Abbas calculate they would need $2.8 billion to rebuild Gaza? How does Clinton determine $300 million in aid will make Gaza peaceful and responsible? And then there are 75 ‘donor’ nations meeting to raise more money. The better question is how smart do you have to be to realize if you launch rockets against Israel long enough to force retaliation after the smoke clears you will receive billions of dollars to do with as you please? The secondary question is this. If Gaza is so bleak and suffering from deplorable conditions why would it cost that much to rebuild and why do the Palestinians need wads of cash to ‘cover a budget’ and for ‘institutional reforms and economic development’? Is this the first time they have ever received money in this manner? No.

There seem to be glaring contradictions not to mention an international scam that the US should not condone. Pay to bury the dead and patch up the wounded and humanitarian aid you can verify but how do they expect to avoid terrorists from getting there hands on the money? Hamas may not touch donations directly but there is nothing to stop millions from filtering to them through the many sinister alliances present in the region or across the street.

And some wonder why the situation never changes.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the United States’ pledge of $300 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza is intended to help achieve a Palestinian state that is “peaceful” and “responsible.”

In remarks Monday in Egypt at the international donors’ conference on reconstructing the Gaza Strip Clinton said U.S. monetary support for Gaza cannot be separated from achieving a “comprehensive peace” in the region.

Clinton said an additional $600 million of U.S. aid will go to the Palestinian Authority to cover budget shortfalls, institutional reforms and economic development. The U.S. says none of the money will benefit Hamas militants, who do not recognize Israel’s right to exist.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told international donors that financial aid without an end to the conflict with Israel would be “insufficient.”

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon warned that rebuilding the coastal enclave will be a daunting task as long as border crossings between Israel and Gaza remain closed, calling the situation “intolerable.”

Representatives from at least 75 donor nations are meeting in Sharm el-Sheik with a goal of raising money to rebuild Gaza after Israel’s military offensive.

The Palestinian Authority says it needs to raise $2.8 billion to reconstruct Gaza.

The six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council said Sunday they would contribute $1.65 billion.

This trip is Clinton’s first to the Middle East as U.S. secretary of state. After the conference, Clinton is scheduled to meet with Israeli and Palestinian officials, including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Israel and Hamas declared separate cease-fires in January, but rocket fire into Israel from Gaza has continued and Israel has launched targeted attacks on militants and smuggling tunnels in Gaza.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.

This front page was printed in September 1938 - one year before the outbreak of World War II. The Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, believed that ‘appeasement’ was the best way to avoid war with Germany. (graphic and caption above from link provided and not part of VOA report (click pic)

U.S. President Barack Obama has tied the future of Iraq to that of the broader Middle East, which he says will include Washington’s “principled and sustained engagement” with Iran and Syria.

Mr. Obama said the U.S. can no longer deal with regional challenges in isolation. He argued Friday during a speech to Marines in North Carolina that Washington must take a “smarter, more sustainable and comprehensive approach.”

While reaching out to Tehran, Mr. Obama added that the U.S. is developing a strategy to use all elements of American power to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. The Iranian government says its nuclear program has no military component.

Mr. Obama also said the U.S. will refocus on al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan and is actively seeking a lasting peace between Israel and the Arab world.

As proof of his commitment. he pointed to the appointment of George Mitchell, Dennis Ross and Richard Holbrooke as special envoys to the region.

He also announced he intends to send veteran diplomat Christopher Hill to Baghdad as U.S. ambassador.

The U.S. president said that everyone - both friends and foes - must know that the end of the Iraq war will bring a new era of American leadership and engagement in the Middle East.

President Obama takes another page from the Ahmadinejad (Columbia U) playbook. For the Iranian it was engage the opponent, your target, your enemy, the infidels. Attempt to persuade them you mean them no harm. For Ahmadinejad it was more a case of the trojan horse. For Obama it is more a case of the appeaser cowering to a sworn enemy of Israel and anyone who defends them. Falls nicely into place with that infidel thing. And just as nicely into Obama’s surrender strategy if you recall the campaign of 2008.

The only thing missing from Obama’s message below is ‘and they all lived happily ever after.’.. And we know the genre of writing from which that fantasy comes. Hope and change will not render it true. This Messiah would need to conjure a miracle or three for that to happen. Pleading shows weakness and no courage of conviction whereas strength through the projection of power and determination based on defending principle does. Count the number of times that appeasing the agenda of rogue nations has been successful in the past.

Russia was not requested to ‘tear down that wall’ during the Cuban missile crisis. Japan wasn’t asked to surrender right after they attacked Pearl Harbor. But President Obama tells the ‘Muslim world’ he intends ‘to deal with Palestinian and Israeli peace.’ He tells people with no interest in peace with Israel that he will work on that. Is that what comes from a Harvard education?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

President to Muslim World: “Americans are not your enemy”

In his first interview with an Arab television station, President Barack Obama offered a bold change to America’s relations with the Muslim world.

“My job is to communicate to the American people that the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives,” President Obama told Al Arabiya. “My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy.”

In the interview, conducted in the White House map room, President Obama also expressed his commitment to tackling the Middle East peace process immediately.

“Sending George Mitchell to the Middle East is fulfilling my campaign promise that we’re not going to wait until the end of my administration to deal with Palestinian and Israeli peace, we’re going to start now,” he said. “It may take a long time to do, but we’re going to do it now.”

The interview is part of the President’s broader outreach to the Muslim world, which includes a promise to make a major address from the capital of a Muslim nation.

Al Arabiya is a 24-hour Arabic-language news channel based out of Dubai.

US President Obama gives exclusive interview to Al-Arabiya TV

U.S. President Barack Obama says he will work to show the Muslim world that Americans are not their enemy.

In his first formal interview - granted to an Arab television network - the American leader said his job is also to show Americans that people in the Muslim world simply want to live their lives and make better lives for their children.

Speaking on Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television, Mr. Obama pointed out that he has lived in Muslim countries and has Muslim family members.

As for Islamist terrorists, he said their ideas are bankrupt. He said nothing they have done has ensured that a child in the Muslim world is getting a better education, or has better health care.

Mr. Obama also repeated his inaugural address pledge to extend a hand to countries such as Iran if they are - as he said - “willing to unclench their fist.”

He said the United States must be willing to engage in diplomacy with Iran and promised to lay out a general framework and approach over the next several months.

Asked about the president’s comments Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said it is up to Iran to demonstrate some willingness to engage meaningfully with the international community.

As for the current standoff between Israel and Hamas, he said “the moment is ripe” for Israelis and Palestinians to achieve a lasting peace, but he added that all parties in the region must play a role in the process.

Mr. Obama said it is not possible to think of the Middle East without looking at the region as a whole, including Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Pakistan, for he said they are all interrelated.

He also said he plans to follow through on a promise to address the Muslim world from a Muslim capital.

Just another example of whining from the Muslim population when another one of their attacks on Israel fails. Is it possible they really expect to eliminate or defeat Israel by lobbing primitive rockets in their country? No. They know the rocket attacks will not cause much more than an annoyance. That is not why they do it. They simply try to see what they can get away with and wait for Israel to lose patients from getting no cooperation in solving the problem. Then once Israel exercises its right to defend itself by defeating those responsible the remainder of the Muslim world whines that Israel is being unfair and mistreating the offenders.

It shows how ridiculous international politics are as this sort of thing has continued for years and the rest of world is content to let it continue. With the number of those involved expressing a desire to eliminate Israel the chance of a peace arrangement has never been realistic. Why other nations including the US even engage in the theatre of appearing to believe it will ever happen is as ridiculous as witnessing just one more violent episode like another old rerun on TV.

What was just expressed is the main reason this blog has only recently published any commentary on the topic. The endless loop that is the history of the Middle East with regard to Israel and its neighbors is so repetitive as to be pathetic nonsense. Those opposed to Israel in the region and elsewhere have no interest in peace. That is why it is time to republish another Muslim cartoon to demonstrate the silly notion of the religion of peace. One annoying display deserves another.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Worldwide Protests Against Gaza Operation

Tens of thousands of Muslims took to the streets Friday from Amman to Jakarta to protest the Israeli action in Gaza.

An estimated 50,000 people rallied in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria after Friday prayers. The demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and shouted slogans against Israel, and in support of Hamas.

In Amman, Jordan, police fired teargas on a crowd of some two-thousand people to prevent them from marching to the Israeli embassy.

In Israel’s occupied West Bank, police in Ramallah and Hebron also used teargas to disperse Palestinian protesters.

Other demonstrations were reported in Turkey, Algeria, Kenya, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Some of the demonstrators expressed anger at Arab leaders for failing to ease the plight of people in Gaza. Egypt has kept its border with Gaza largely closed.

The European Jewish Congress said earlier this week it was planning pro-Israel rallies in London, Rome, Berlin, Vienna, and other locations.

Report: Gaza/West Bank Reaction Download (WM)
Report: Gaza/West Bank Reaction Watch (WM)

Israel’s offensive in Gaza is drawing fire from Palestinians in the West Bank. Many are expressing support for Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza. They accuse the West Bank government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of not doing enough to defend the Palestinians of Gaza. VOA’s Luis Ramirez reports from Ramallah.

from MoreWhat.com:

Stating Israel is drawing ‘fire’ from the West Bank in the brief text report above is a curious choice of words. While some rockets have been fired recently from Lebanon in support of Hamas in Gaza the West Bank reference probably means the kind of fire from verbal opposition. The video report linked to above reminds viewers that the latest round of violence in the Middle East was initiated by Hamas launching rockets into Israel. Where was the Palestinian outrage over that unprovoked attack then? That sentiment has been expressed on this blog recently and repeated here now to emphasize the fact such statements or any reaction at all to the Middle East and problems between Israelis and Palestinians and others in the region has been withheld. But this latest round of violence is a stunning example of bias against Israel and a reminder of how others in the region view Israel. Many including Hamas, probably Hezbollah and certainly Iran express their desire to eliminate Israel. The silence by Israel’s neighbors after the Hamas rocket attacks began and their deafening volume after Israel began defending itself is another stark reminder and example of the bitter hatred toward Israel from their Arab neighbors most of whom subscribe to the religion of peace known as Islam.

Not that there are no other examples in the world of unfair treatment of one group of people by another and plenty of bloodshed that accompanied such events. But this too is another example of one group being mistreated. And that group is not Palestinians it is Israelis. As a counter argument in the video report listed above and other accounts presented by Palestinians in Gaza and like-minded Arabs elsewhere ‘innocent’ and ‘defenseless’ victims are offered as testimony to Israels’ response to the Hamas attacks. Yet these same people make no mention of human shields and other terrorist tactics used by Hamas and similar groups. That is the leading cause of civilian deaths in the current ‘crisis’. If civilian, non-terrorist people exist in Gaza and do nothing to eliminate terrorist groups from thier midst they can continue to expect casualties like they are witnessing now. And who is to say all the casualties or even any of them are innocent? In terrorist and guerilla warfare it is very difficult to determine who is or is not involved in the warring factions. Wearing no uniform does not automatically make you innocent as terrorists wear the same clothes and are known to use women and children as weapons like suicide bombers.

So in this particular and current edition of war in the Middle East, Israel is right and the rest of you are wrong. It is that simple.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

The most telling irony this week comes from Arab protesters quick to denounce Israel’s military response to Hamas rocket attacks. Where was this outrage when Hamas began the rocket attacks? The contrived outrage over Israel defending itself from Hamas rocket attacks is the Arab self-exposure of their true feelings. It is quite obvious now as it may have been before that the ‘Arab world’ supports attacking Israel and opposes Israel defending itself. This blog has resisted publishing a statement like this in the past for lack of a well defined example of the Arab position on Israel. Some may reject the idea of their not being one before as easily as others may reject the idea that there is one now. That’s fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. The opinion here is that there is no argument remaining that the Arab world means Israel no harm.

For those who feel inspired to criticize Israel for military action against rocket attack from Hamas the following excerpt and link is provided as the first in the chronology presented in this post. Livni told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that Israel’s patience was exhausted after days of rocket barrages into Israel from Gaza, and that the Israeli government would no longer accept the status quo. This of course occured before any retaliation from Israel. It is not like the rocket attacks were quietly accepted until the defensive action began. Rockets were regularly fired on Israel from Hamas and no one in the ‘Arab world’ criticized Hamas.

Israel gave notice to Hamas and anyone else to stop the attack. Here is the second excerpt and link in this chronology.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has issued what he calls a “last minute” call to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, urging them to pressure their Hamas rulers to stop rocket fire into Israel.

Mr. Olmert made the appeal during a television interview with Arab station, Al-Arabiya on Thursday, during which he said Israel will not hesitate to strike Hamas or any other Palestinian militant group.

The remarks came as militants fired rockets and mortars into Israel for a second day in a row. Israeli officials say more than 80 rockets and mortar rounds hit southern Israel on Wednesday. No casualties were reported.

Meanwhile, Israeli defense officials say the military is preparing an operation against Hamas targets in Gaza.

The ‘Arab world’ remained quiet about the rocket attacks. Funny how they got all interested in the military response that contrary to their opinion is reasonable. Say nothing about militants attacking Israel but denounce Israel’s right to defend themselves against attack. And who was affected by the Israeli response?

Nearly 300 Palestinians, most of them armed militants, have been killed since Israel launched the offensive on Saturday. But let the protesters and certain media outlets lead you to believe that civilians are paying the price for Israel’s self-defense from rocket attack.

Where is the Arab criticism for the following?

Hundreds of Palestinians breached the Gaza border fence in four places and poured into Egypt on Sunday. Egyptian police opened fire, prompting gun battles with Palestinian militants. Several hours later, Egyptian officials said border guards restored order.

The breach followed Israel’s bombing of 40 tunnels in Gaza used by the ruling Islamic militant group Hamas to smuggle weapons and supplies across Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

‘Used by Islamic militant group Hamas to smuggle weapons and supplies’ is the key portion in this report that falls on deaf Arab ears. Other reports indicate Arabs, Muslims, whatever, criticize Arab governments for their wimpy denouncement of Israel. So what’s new? Ignore any attack on Israel but make a great deal of noise when Israel responds to attacks. It is time the ‘religion of peace’ and its followers end the double standard toward Israel. If you want the insanity to stop you must not enable it by your action or inaction. If you want peace stop blaming everyone else for the problem and accept your own responsibility for finding peace.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

crossposted at:

Maggie’s Notebook | Conservative Blog

FaultlineUSA

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Nixon’s legacy included the milestone of opening dialogue with China and historic visits by the West to the mysterious and isolated region of the world. Carter’s often criticized administration had what appeared as a Middle East peace effort that came closer than any other at resolving the conflicts. Reagan convinced the Soviet Union to ‘tear down this wall’. Much about President Bush these days points to the near obsession of American Presidents to push for their legacy in the fading hours of their Presidency. Beyond victory in the war in Iraq, President Bush’s latest call for Middle East peace talks presents among other things, his search for a legacy.

Along with most in the international community, as indicated below, the US and EU want nothing to do with Hamas while a few voices are heard urging dialogue with the generally perceived Middle East outlaws. No relationship in the search for Middle East peace may be more of a gamble than the involvement of both President Bush and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. In general, the intentions of both men may be to recover some success for their respective legacies after the controversy and criticism over the war in Iraq and perhaps Afghanistan.

US, EU shun Hamas as Blair takes over as Middle East peace envoy
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Friday, July 20, 2007
The Quartet of Middle East mediators met for the first time with Tony Blair as special envoy on Thursday at a meeting Washington hopes will breathe some life into the stagnant Israeli-Palestinian peace process. In Cairo, Foreign Minister Ahmad Abou al-Gheit said Thursday that a Mideast peace conference called for by US President George W. Bush will likely be held in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

Understandably, some in the Middle East are wary or even suspicious of Tony Blair’s involvement. Of all the people on the planet likely to have a role to play in the search for Middle East peace, Tony Blair probably has the best chance of providing a sense of genuine sincerity and honesty to the task at hand. But the baggage of his history with President Bush and some indications he bears his own separate agenda on solving this never ending crisis may sabotage his ability to assist before it really begins.

Blair hampered in Middle East role
BEN LYNFIELD IN JERUSALEM
Ms Rice deftly defended the limiting of the scope of Mr Blair’s job, despite EU foreign ministers arguing that it should be expanded. The American backed brief says “yes” to Palestinian institution building and economy, but “no” to a role in peace negotiations.

Indeed, if Mr Blair entertains the idea of gradually expanding his own mandate, and dreams about jump starting peace talks, he may find that Ms Rice is a no less formidable obstacle than the Israelis and Palestinians.

Among Palestinians, Mr Blair’s impending arrival is being greeted with a mixture of skepticism and anticipation.

But Palestinian politicians outside of Fatah, and even some Israelis, say such a policy is doomed to failure because it excludes the group chosen by the majority of Palestinians in the 2006 elections.

Abbas may be viewed as a wild card in this entire scenario. His power or influence over any part of the conflict may be suspect and the call for elections just one more attempt by a weak player to muster languishing support.

Abbas plans to call early elections, isolate Hamas
AP, RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
Friday, Jul 20, 2007
In a speech on Wednesday, Abbas asked the Palestine Central Council, a Palestinian Liberation Organization decision-making body, to endorse his call for elections that aides said would be designed to freeze Hamas out of the political arena.

Abbas’ aides said they expected the election by the end of the year or early next year. His announcement came as the US and other international mediators were moving swiftly to try to revive Mideast peace efforts.

And no one should overlook the complications provided by the most suspected opposition to any peace in the region, none other than the President of Iran. A meeting between Iran, Syria and Hamas is nothing more than a strategy session of those opposing peace efforts in the Middle East.

Iran’s Ahmadinejad in Syria for talks with Assad, Hamas
19/07/2007 11:04 DAMASCUS, July 19 (AFP)
The fact that Ahmadinejad’s visit — his second to Damascus since becoming president in 2005 — comes so soon after Assad’s re-election will be seen as a clear sign of the value of the relationship to both sides.

The strength of their ties is viewed with the deepest suspicion in Washington, which blames Tehran and Damascus for much of the instability dogging the Middle East region.

The classic mixture of opposing agendas by all involved in Middle East ‘relations’ are no more an optimistic forecast for resolving problems now than at any time in the past. No one should be hopeful this early in the recent moves to hold talks on peace in the Middle East or anywhere else on the planet.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

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Was this hostage incident with British journalist Alan Johnston simply a plot between associated terrorists attempting to obtain positive press for releasing a hostage? C’mon, the Army of Islam, sounds like a quickly conjured name to accommodate the plot. It is tough enough to accept names like Hezbollah and Hamas let alone the Popular Resistance Committees and the Executive Force. The point is this all seems rather fabricated by a group of rank amateurs. Ok, they are violent, have weapons and engage in terrorist activities but their intentions, credentials and importance are largely self-defined. And a lot of paid consultants, journalists or reporters seem to be the only people outside these groups judging their validity. So they are just a bunch of punks with weapons. How do they expect that to solve their problems? They may have had a chance to become legitimate players on the world stage engaging in the political process but opted to return to weapons and being stupid.

Sometimes it almost seems more prudent for all the major countries of the world to simply withdraw from any interactions with the Middle East and similar zones of insanity. Y’all wanna kill each other, fine. You want to keep blaming each other for the problems you face and not help each other out, fine. From the major powers on the planet to all lesser influences and organizations like the UN, most of the violence and problems faced by the Middle East only seem to be exacerbated by the rest of the world’s involvement. At one time or another all countries in the Middle East seem to be ‘playing’ other countries in the world to get what they want. And the arrangements keep rotating around the region shifting advantage from country to country. All the while the richest nations in the world are pouring billions into the mix and only a few ranking members of failing governments appear to receive the benefit.

That is why it would be nice if the US could finish the missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Prepare them to take care of themselves and when ready call it a day. Every country foreign to the Middle East should then remove themselves and let the cards fall where they may. But there is a big flaw with this suggestion. It will never happen. Because the people in the Middle East countries are partly right. All the foreign countries involved in the Middle East have a stake in them but not for the right reasons. Other countries in the world will stay involved in the Middle East for their own selfish reasons. The centuries old conflicts in the region will continue and be complicated by outside interference. And the whole mess will never end.

Maybe this is a pessimistic or cynical interpretation of the problem. But it is a reflection of the historic trends in that region of the world.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Hamas closes in on BBC hostage stronghold

From correspondents in Baghdad
July 04, 2007 03:33am
HAMAS gunmen today took up positions around the stronghold of the kidnappers of BBC journalist Alan Johnston, as the Islamist movement hinted it could use force to secure the newsman’s release.

Members of Hamas’s armed wing and its self-styled police set up checkpoints at the entrance to the southern Sabra neighbourhood in Gaza City, searching vehicles and fanning out around a compound, an AFP correspondent said.

Hamas, Islamic group swap prisoners in Gaza

Wed Jul 4, 2007 5:54 AM IST
GAZA (Reuters) - Hamas and another militant Islamic group swapped prisoners on Tuesday in the Gaza Strip as mediators negotiated to free an abducted BBC reporter, a spokesman for a group of Palestinian mediators said.

Abu Mujahed, spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees, an umbrella militant group in Gaza, said the “Army of Islam has released nine students and Hamas has released detained members of the Army of Islam.”

Kidnapped BBC reporter Alan Johnston released

Last update - 08:11 04/07/2007
By News Agencies
Alan Johnston, the BBC journalist held hostage in the Gaza Strip since March, was handed over by his Islamist captors to Hamas officials on Wednesday.

The 45-year-old Briton was taken into the care of officials from the Hamas movement, which seized full control of Gaza three weeks ago.

“I was released a couple of hours ago. It was an appalling experience as you can imagine. Occasionally quite terrifying… Now it really is over,” Johnston told BBC World from the home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza City.

NEWSWEEK Cover: Why Gaza Matters

The June 25 Issue of Newsweek (on newsstands Monday, June 18), “Why Gaza Matters” explores the impact the Hamas-lead attacks have on the rest of the Middle East. Plus: An exclusive interview Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says that despite pressure to make changes in Iraq, he needs time because the decisions he is making will be “written in stone”; Angelina Jolie on the making of “A Mighty Heart,” being an activist and a mother; and Fred Thompson’s Senate record. (PRNewsFoto/Newsweek)

NEW YORK, NY UNITED STATES 06/16/2007

The Most Chaotic, Violent and Fractionalized Countries in the Middle East
are the Ones U.S. Urged to Hold Elections
Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki says, ‘The Timetables Given, Sometimes I Do Not
Find Them in President Bush’s Mind so Much as They are in the Minds of Some
People Who Make [Public] Statements’

NEW YORK, June 17 /PRNewswire/ — This has been a bad week for
President Bush’s freedom agenda in the Middle East. Between the continued
violence in Iraq and the Hamas-lead violence that has broken out in Gaza,
America’s hopes for bringing peace to the Middle East are waning.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070616/CLSA011 )
The violence that has rocked Gaza over the last week has left Hamas
fighters in control of the 140-square-mile strip and it may now become
Hamas’s private enclave and perhaps even an ungovernable font of terror. In
the June 25 issue of Newsweek (on newsstands Monday, June 18), Senior
Editor Michael Hirsh states that the defeat of the secular and more
moderate Fatah forces could, along with the insurgents’ success in Iraq,
inspire Islamist radicals in the region and around the world.
In his second Inaugural Address, the president embraced the promotion
of democracy as his top priority, declaring: “The survival of liberty in
our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands.”
Hirsh points out, however, that in Iraq and the Palestinian territories, as
in Russia, Pakistan and other places, liberty is retreating. Now citizens
of countries where Washington has called for greater democracy-Iran, say,
or Syria- have three less-than-inspiring examples close to home. In
Lebanon, Iranian-backed Hizbullah reigns as a power unto itself. In Iraq,
the sect-based parties that came to power in the 2005 elections have
created a bloody nightmare, and stymied any attempts to forge a truly
national consensus. And in the Palestinian territories, Washington simply
rejected the election results.
After Hamas’s wins, the United States and other Western countries cut
aid money to the Palestinian government, instead funneling resources
directly to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s office, reports Jerusalem
Bureau Chief Kevin Peraino. Some observers accuse Washington of baldly
encouraging rivalry between the two camps. In a confidential report leaked
last week, United Nations envoy Alvaro de Soto wrote that “the U.S. clearly
pushed for a confrontation between Fatah and Hamas.” De Soto recounts
listening to a U.S. official declare, “I like this violence,” twice at an
envoys’ meeting in Washington recently. “The U.S. fanned the flames of this
internal Palestinian conflict,” says Haim Malka of Washington’s Center for
Strategic and International Studies. State Department spokesman Sean
McCormack dismissed de Soto’s remarks as “the views of an individual.”
What seems certain is that Hamas-run Gaza is doomed to greater
isolation and misery. With the Islamists in control, Israel may intensify
its campaign of air strikes on Hamas rocket teams and other militants. Some
Israeli analysts point out that a strong Hamas leadership in Gaza could
have its advantages; at least someone would be in control there. But that
is a minority view. “There’s no common ground [with Hamas],” says Ephraim
Sneh, Israel’s deputy Defense minister. Dialogue, he says, is almost
certainly a nonstarter. “Listen to them, for God’s sake!” he says. “Gaza
will be worse than Mogadishu. Our Apache [helicopter gunships] will talk to
them.”
Peraino also reports that Gaza is likely to experience further troubles
once the chaos settles because of the exodus of the territory’s middle
class citizens. The Gazans most likely to escape are those with means and
connections–the ones Gaza can least afford to lose. In the past 12 months,
88,320 people have left Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing, and only
76,176 have come in-a net loss of some 12,000 people. Anecdotal evidence
suggests that the vast majority of those who manage to escape are the
young, wealthy and well educated. Many of those who are leaving are
technocrat types who work for organizations like the United Nations and
foreign NGOs with global reach.
“The next American president will have to grapple with a Middle East
that is messier and quite possibly angrier than before 9/11.” Hirsh says.
“But also, in a larger sense, he or she will have to confront anew a harsh
lesson in the limits of power. America can only be, at best, a guiding hand
behind an international system that is disposed to democracy and open
markets.”
Meanwhile, in Iraq, patience with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is
running out. Maliki recently gave Newsweek an exclusive interview in which
he expressed optimism for the process of turning his country around. But
the slow pace is testing the patience of Iraqis and Americans, except
apparently, President George W. Bush. With mounting pressure from all sides
to speed up reconciliation among Iraq’s various parties and bringing an end
to the civil war, Maliki says he needs time in order to make long-term
decisions-ones that will be “written in stone”-and says he’s confident that
Bush understands. Maliki tells Paris Bureau Chief and Middle East Regional
Editor Chris Dickey and Baghdad Correspondent Larry Kaplow, “The timetables
given, sometimes I do not find them in President Bush’s mind so much as
they are in the minds of some people who make [public] statements.”
Maliki says his close relationship with Bush has a lot to do with fate,
“Destiny wanted to bring together two people who strongly stick to their
principles.” But what the two of them see as resolve, however, many others
see as stubbornness (that has yet to bring an end to violence.)
(Read cover story at http://www.Newsweek.com)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19263096/site/newsweek/

SOURCE Newsweek

from VOA News
By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
14 June 2007
Teeple report - Download (mp3) 677k audio clip
Listen to Teeple report audio clip

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas late Thursday dismissed the three-month-old Palestinian unity government and declared a state of emergency as Hamas militants consolidated their control over the Gaza Strip. More than 100 people have died since violence erupted between Mr. Abbas’ Fatah faction and Hamas several days ago. VOA’s Jim Teeple has more from our Jerusalem bureau.

After nearly a week of escalating violence that has seen Hamas Islamic militants seize control of much of the Gaza Strip, President Abbas issued decrees late Thursday abolishing the Palestinian unity government and dismissing Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a leader of Hamas.

Presidential Secretary Tayeb Abdel Rahim read out the decrees at the presidential compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Abdel Rahim said Mr. Abbas is declaring a state of emergency across the Palestinian territories because some Palestinian groups are engaging in crimes and acting outside the law. He said Mr. Abbas will form a new government, and is also considering holding new elections.

A spokesman for Hamas called Mr. Abbas’ move “practically worthless,” and it is unclear what effect the decrees will have on the violence raging in the Gaza Strip. Hamas militants have seized control of the Fatah-run Intelligence services building and the headquarters of the Fatah Preventive Security Force, where witnesses say the militants executed several Fatah officials after they had surrendered.

Fatah retaliated in the West Bank, where Hamas is much weaker, by rounding up a number of Hamas militants.

Close aides to Mr. Abbas such as Yasser Abed Rabo, the deputy head of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, which is allied with Fatah, warned that if Hamas does take complete control of Gaza, Palestinian democracy will suffer.

“What they are doing now is they are trying to solidify their grip over Gaza by all means, including military means,” he said. “They do not believe in the democratic process where you can change the government every four years. They believe it is a divine mission granted to them, and they should seize the opportunity.”

Since fighting dramatically escalated on Wednesday, Fatah forces have been routed by more disciplined Hamas militants. Reporter Mohammed Dawass in Gaza says unlike Hamas, Fatah was unprepared for all-out conflict.

“They [Fatah] were not really preparing themselves like Hamas did,” he said. “Hamas has been preparing itself for a long time. Especially after the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, they [Hamas] managed to get weapons from across the borders. Fatah did not really expect this to happen actually.”

If Hamas does take complete control of the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian territories will be effectively split between Hamas and Fatah, which largely controls the West Bank. Israeli officials are expressing concern over the developments in Gaza, saying they might soon be faced with two Palestinian entities, one run by Hamas and one run by Fatah.

Word of disputed truce comes hours after call for Fatah to surrender

MSNBC News Services
Updated: 3:52 p.m. ET June 13, 2007

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas agreed on Wednesday to end a surge of factional fighting in Gaza, a television station linked to Abbas’ Fatah group reported.

Hamas denied that a truce had been reached, saying it agreed only that violence should end.

Peres wins Israeli presidency

Rory McCarthy in Jerusalem
Wednesday June 13, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

After five decades at the heart of Israeli politics, holding every major cabinet position, Shimon Peres was finally elected as the country’s president today. He won a secret ballot of MPs on the second round after his challengers, Reuven Rivlin of the Likud party and Colette Avital of Labour, dropped out.

Apparently, Alabama is much more tolerant than one might suspect. An Iranian-born, British citizen identified as an Imam and the religious leader of a group in Alabama, was delayed in departing the US with his passport for overstaying a visa ‘waiver’.

As stated in the excerpt below, the US is no longer using the honor system after apprehending those who violate the terms of their visas. Just why that has not always been the case is a nagging question. It would also be worthwhile to know the other details of this story. Such as what was the reason for the ‘visit’? Does the Imam live here also? Has his background been checked? But then that would bring out all the liberal complaints that we should just let everyone come and go as they like. Even though so many with the same general description of this British citizen have constantly reminded us of their intentions.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Imam’s U.S. departure slowed by immigration delay

The Associated Press
Published: May 31, 2007

The U.S. government no longer allows visa violators to be released and leave the country on their own because many of those released and ordered to leave simply did not go, said Behruz Rahmati, another lawyer who has worked on the case. He said immigration officials have given him no estimate of when Razavi will be taken to the airport.