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Pretend Peace Sells, and Powell's Buying

Powell intends to meet with Yossi Beilin and Yasser Abed-Rabbo, the Israeli and Palestinian “representatives” who met - unofficially - to stage peace talks.

Beilin and Rabbo, along with notorious left wingnut Amram Mitzna, met Monday in Geneva to sign a prototype peace deal, though none of them are really sanctioned to do so. The “peace deal” is backed by such stalwarts as Jimmy Carter and Nelson Mandela.

If a "deal" like this was to happen within the United States, it would be a violation of the Logan Act. Colin Powell, by meeting with these two men, is validating an agreement that should not be validated, especially by a member of the United States government, where such "deals" are prohibited.

This puts Bush in a quandry. Does he publicly dress down Powell for seeking an audience with two people who are entering into a non-binding peace agreement, or does he sidestep a bit and pretend to condone Powell's actions? You either have an administration that comes out looking like its in disarray or you have a president who is going to lose a lot of votes next year by - for all intents and purposes - standing side by side with Carter and Mandela.

In today's New York Post, Eric Fettman weighs in on the Logan Act and Carter and Bill Clinton supporting the Geneva peace accord:

Which makes you wonder why both former presidents enthusiastically endorsed the so-called Geneva Initiative for the Middle East that was signed amid much hoopla Tuesday in a ceremony emceed by that renowned international diplomat, Richard Dreyfuss.

What is Powell thinking by virtually shaking hands with an idea that basically support terrorism?

This document, in other words, would obligate Israel to undertake far-reaching territorial concessions in return for non-recognition of its status as a Jewish state, an open-ended "right" of Arabs to resettle in Israel and no guarantee that terrorism will be halted.

This is just another way to get peace on Arafat's terms. Which means no dismantling of Hamas and other terrorist organizations. It means a continuation of suicide bombings. It means more concessions from Israel and another clean slate for Arafat.

I am continually perplexed by the hand slapping Arafat and his crew get for their brutal acts of terrorism. Until the Palestians are forced to stop peddling death as the answer to everything, Israel should not give into any concessions.

For now, Powell should be taken to task for getting involved in this sham of a peace process at all, and Bush should make it clear that Powell was acting on his own. Even if it makes the administration look shaky, it's better than looking like you stand in line with Clinton, Carter and Mandella by supporting terror.

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Comments

Sorry for being a bit off-topic, this doesn't really have anything to do with the issues at stake, but it really bugs me:

"...so-called Geneva Initiative for the Middle East that was signed amid much hoopla Tuesday in a ceremony..."

Why do journalists (like the one you've quoted) always leave out the word "on" that should be before Tuesday in that sentence? Unless "hoopla Tuesday" is some special holiday I've never been told about of course. Gah! It's almost as irritating as leaving the "and" out of headlines. Fox news like to describe themselves as "Fair and balanced" rather than "Fair, balanced" so it's obvious that they know how. I swear they do it on purpose just to annoy me.

I think the Geniva agreement would be much better than you claimed ... if Arafat actually intended to stick to it, which no doubt he doesn't given his amazingly consistant history.

The biggest problem with what's written in the agreement is the fact that it leaves head terrorist Arafat in power. I see it as (thoroughly insincere) act by Arafat to sidestep American pressure for him to step down by pretending that he might agree to almost everything we ask - and thereby muddy the waters.

In truth he'll stick to his vision of intrenching Palestine in eternal war to the death of every last Jew.

I don't know doe[sic] he?

You know what my pet peeve is? When people correct your typos or errors right in the comments.

Just wanted to comment on one sentence here:

"Until the Palestians are forced to stop peddling death as the answer to everything, Israel should not give into any concessions."

How do you force the Palestinian terrorist groups to stop blowing up people? You can't. If you kill or imprison some of the members, they will get new ones. Threathen them, and they will set off another bomb, just to show you they can. Until the Israeli government realizes that these bastards can't be stopped by threaths or force, the terrorist attacks will never stop.

What needs to be done is give the Palestinians the chance to lead normal lives in their own country. Do that, and getting people to blow themselves up is going to become a lot harder. That's not giving in to terrorism, it's giving the people what is rightfully theirs.

I am trying to figure out whether this is real or an article from the Onion or Scrappleface.

So what? The Coup has been violating the Logan Act since January of 2001. And anyway, I thought the whole point of being the pretend Secretary of State was negotiating with people - if that involves them organzing role-playing peace sessions, that's fine by me.

Kareman, a lot of the Palestinian terrorist are actually hired and paid for by syria and other governments from around the region... They won't go away just cause you think nice thoughts. Arafat himself wants the violence to continue and he's very nicely placed to insure that it continues.

The Palestinians are denied the right to live normal lives, but it's not Israel that's doing the denying - or the lion's share of the oppressing for that matter. And Israelis do what they do to protect their own lives, which is more than can be said for Arafat and the the other people who REALLY oppress the Palestinians.

Mr. Finn should read the Constitution, especially those parts about state legislatures making laws on voting, and the Electoral College. Poor Al Gorebot and the Dems, they got caught trying to steal the election in 2000 and they haven't forgiven the adults since then.

Here's your chance to make a fortune Michele. Secretary Powell sounds like an excellent candidate for buying the Brooklyn Bridge. After all, it looks here like he's willing to buy a pig in a poke.