I vaguely recall a time — I think it’s the period known as “before 2001″ — in which the United States would play a key diplomatic role in bringing Middle East countries to the table for talks. Now, discussions like these seem to fall into the White House’s category of “appeasement.”
After eight years of stalemate and periodic tension, Israel and Syria announced Wednesday that they have launched “serious and continuous” indirect peace talks aimed at ending one of the region’s longest-running disputes.
In identical statements issued from Damascus and Jerusalem, the rival neighbors said that they are taking part in indirect negotiations with Turkish diplomats serving as mediators.
“The two sides stated their intention to conduct these talks in good faith and with an open mind,” according to the statement. “They decided to pursue the dialogue between them in a serious and continuous way, in order to achieve the goal of comprehensive peace.”
If successful, the talks could lead to a broader shift in regional dynamics by returning the Golan Heights to Syria, cutting off critical support for Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, and diminishing the influence of Iran in the region.
Paul Salem, director of the Beirut-based Middle East Center of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, who has talked with negotiators directly, said some Syrian leaders see the rising influence of Iran, and they’re worried.
“Peace between Syria and Israel would cause a serious rupture in the Syrian-Iranian relationship as it would represent a fundamental parting of the ways,” said Salem. “And it would also cut off Iranian influence into Lebanon and Palestine.”
All of this productive diplomacy isn’t what the Bush administration had in mind at all.
Indeed, just last week, the president denounced the very idea of diplomacy with state sponsors of terror, describing discussions as “appeasement” on par with Chamberlain at Munich with Hitler.
Now that peace talks are advancing anyway, it appears the Bush administration is trying to catch up to the bandwagon.
A U.S. official in Washington praised the talks. “I think Turkey played a good and useful role in this regard,” senior State Department official David Welch said of the talks, according to the Reuters news agency. “Israel and Turkey have apprised us in the past of these discussions and kept us informed.”
Yeah, if they could maybe keep us in the loop, that’d be great. We’ll be over here parsing the word “appeasement.”
This has been in the works for a while, so there’s not really anything all that new or surprising here. But even if Syria and Israel manage to reach agreement, Syria almost certainly needs direct assurances from the United States too before it would enter into any kind of comprehensive deal — something which would, among other things, have the salutary effect of cutting off Iran from an ally and increasing Hamas’s isolation. President Obama has made it clear that he’d be willing to be a part of that. President McCain, not so much. That’s your foreign policy choice this November in a nutshell.
No Trackbacks To “Appeasement goes mainstream — Israel, Syria sit down for talks“
Firsties! Yawn! I’m sleepy…OK, one last shot before bed…here goes.
The neighbors are starting to play nice and BushCo. wants to step in and break it up. And McStupid wants to keep things broken.
Lovely…no wonder we’re so hated in the world right now. Peace may come and we wanna stop it.
If it isn’t peace at the end of a barrel then the US wants no part of it? Is that the strategy, Fürher BUsh?
BushCo: “They’re doing WHAT?!”
GWBush…paraphrasing of course…”Darn, does this mean I can’t blow shit up?”
Liberal AND Proud @ 3:
“Darn, this means I better blow shit up faster”
fixed it for you.
The whole world is collectively giving the chimp the big FU. He can start clearing brush about now. His biggest task between now and 01/20/09 is compiling his list of people desperate for advance pardons. Knowing him, he’ll shake them down for big donations to the empty warehouse he calls a library.
The seeingly good news–if we can even call it that– is that the Syrian peace talks pretty much sabotage Bush’s plans to bomb Iran (based on INTENTIONS). The bad news –really bad news–Bush is not stupid like he wants everyone to believe— is that he can still easily bomb Iran –and the world including the UN will go along with it–if the Mossad engineers a false flag blaming an attack on Isreal from a plane with a false “Iranian” flag on it. The Mossad is brilliant at this sort of thing and has done it before at least twice that I know of. He doesn’t stand to lose anything — he is not the lame duck everyone assumes either –and he will have his sadistic vindictive last laugh after all. Moreover the sheeple will fall for the engendered FEAR and vote for McCain! End of story !!
meanwhile the crude passes $135/barrel.
Bush to Invade Israel, for Appeasing Syria
mystic @ 6:
A legitimate point of view. Let’s see how it plays out.
Even the Israelis’ know that Bush is toast now. Even they know that there are limits to what the American people will accept, particularly after 7 years of war. Having said that, there are no limits to what Dick Cheney and the neocons would try to do. They are not above pulling some type of stunt that forces Israel’s and the United States’ hand. George Bush is simply a moron with a big ego, so he can be easily manipulated. Dick Cheney has played him famously, and accomplished almost all that he set out to accomplish. November can’t get here fast enough. Actually, January 2009 can’t get here fast enough.
So I wonder if this means that even if a “sponsor of terror” ever throws up their arms and says “I surrender” will the Bush Administration listen? Or would Lieberman listen for that matter–he who wants to deny terror groups free speech, even non violent speech???
Meh, I’m not too worried about military involvement in Iran. Bush got us into Iraq because congress supported the action, many people were ambivalent about it, the generals wanted a chance to show off, and the media largely ignored protest against it (I guess they figured it’d be “unpatriotic” to oppose wasting lives, money, prestige, and maneuverability on an unnecessary war). None of those factors hold anymore. Congress hates him, the people are deeply opposed to military action against Iran, the generals have been chastened by the fighting in Iraq, and the media is having more fun mocking and berating Bush right now than they could possibly have accusing the opposition of treason and cheerleading for a new conflict as they did back at the beginning of the Iraq debacle.
President Clinton was on the verge of negotitating peace talks in the Middle East when bush was appointed. And bush shut the talks down. Maybe this time they can settle down some of the violence there.
Israeli PM Ehud Olmert: “It is always better to talk than to shoot.”
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/.....refer=home
Some boca dude @ 4:
Damn, beat me to it.
How many carriers are in the Gulf now?
Why do I feel like if there is some sort of peace, bush will try to take credit for it?
SPEAKING FOR MY IDOL, THE BIG DICK HIMSELF, i don’t understand why you would want to sit down and discuss shit, when a quick shotgut to the face cuts right to the point.
i think it was my good friend, and a classmate of John Mccain, MR BEN FRANKLIN himself who said….. “there never was a good peace or a bad war”
hooyah! Ben…. you da man…
Mr. Decider doesn’t have to plan for a war. He can just call an air strike on Iran, then let the next Decider figure out what to do with the mess.
All of those details, like troops and logistics bore him anyway.
obama is still a spineless incompetent; talks between israel and syria do not change that fact; NOBO in ‘08!
“All of this productive diplomacy isn’t what the Bush administration had in mind at all.”??
This administration, led by the biggest moron in American political history, and the biggest crime ring of milkers and swindlers don’t even know the meaning of the word “diplomacy”, nor have any use for it.
myshiba @ 18:
Right…and “incompetent” in your book means what? By what example? I suppose this administration is “competent” in your eyes? barf!
€Punk @ 7:
But those “non college educated” whites don’t care. Obama is still black!!
We mus pretect “murica”…ayes don’t wan no soceelized medsin.
loved this quote….
“No, I know all the war rhetoric, but it’s all aimed at achieving peace.”
————–gotta love the big goofball…
“When we’re talking about war, we’re really talking about peace.” - GBII
“Naturally the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.
YOU GOTTA LOVE A GOOD QUOTE… SOMETHING FOR THE AGES… THIS ONE FROM—>
a) george bush b) george W bush c) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahma Gonna Kill Myself
d) hermann goering of WWII fame e) Karl Rove of WhatADick fame
Weaseldog @ 23:
The war has always been with Eastasia
fastfeat @ 14:
I believe the answer is 3. And please remember…it’s not simply “carriers”. They are carrier groups…support ships, subs.
Paul-UK @ 25:
And according to John McCain, there will always BE war with Eastasia.
Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind. JFK
When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. Jimi Hendrix
I do not want the peace that passeth understanding. I want the understanding which bringeth peace. Helen Keller
I don’t need a compass to know which way the wind shines. Mr Furious
You must lash out with every limb, like the octopus who plays the drums. The Sphinx
When you can balance a tack hammer on your head, you will head off your foes with a balanced attack. The Sphinx, but often attributed to George W Bush
Israel was supposed to give the Golan Heights back to Syria long ago.
Golan Heights
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golan_Heights
Below is a great interview with Rami Khouri. He sounds very upbeat about some of the changes in the middle east
Lebanon Moves Toward Unity Government
Morning Edition, May 21, 2008 · Rival Lebanese leaders have reached a deal to end 18 months of political conflict, agreeing on a new president. Hezbollah and its allies will gain more representation in the Lebanese government.
Rami Khouri, director of the Fares Public Policy Institute at the American University of Beirut, discusses developments with Renee Montagne.
Listen
http://www.npr.org/templates/s.....d=90664163
Big Dick Cheney @ 28:
and here I am, thinking I’m the only one that thought that Mystery Men was worth watching more than once. I am so gonna tell my wife that the internet says I’m not weird.
Saudis to Chimpy, STFU. Israelis to Chimpy, STFU. Media to Chimpy, thank you sir, may I have another.
-GSD
Pakistan made peace with the Taliban.
Palestine next?
Folks are sick of war.
w lost.
myshiba @ 18:
Did you write this dumb shit on the wall behind your school?
Liberal AND Proud @ 26:
L&P–
Point taken. It’s still early on the West Coast…
Left&Left @ 33:
Do you really think myshiba went to school?
myshiba @ 18:
Maybe it won’t change anything but it is a start. Any nation can use its military to force an issue before using diplomacy. History is full of dictators and other ambitious forms of Government that did the same thing. Unfortunately, they tend not to last very long and neither do their nations. This is the road Bush has put the United States on and it is one that Obama will correct.
Joe O. @ 36:
Unless Bush kicks over a few more beehives first.
I think the permanent nickname for Kevin James, the idiot whining “appeasement” who Chris Matthews smacked down last week, should be Peezer James.
Weaseldog @ 30:
Watch it I freakin’ own it! In fact I suspect when Hillary does bow out she will do so “Blame thrower” in hand.
Ha ha GWB, put that in your crack pipe and smoke it.
The reich-wingers are defeated yet again.
Great news. ….And, if and when it works, Bush will claim his policies brought peace to the Middle East. (The little fucker.)
Surely our inaction with respect to Syria is a poor precedent if we’re fighting a war on terror.
~Bill Kristol
Oops. Kristol…..wrong…..again
Very interesting. Did anyone know Bill Kirstol’s father was Irving Kristol a devote Marxist and Trotskyist? Bill is a commie.
maybe the Israelis realize that george wants to appease the armageddonists who want to ‘preserve’ Israel for the coming messiah. Of course, if the Jews don’t recant and repent and convert, they’ll be put to the sword. But why shouldn’t mass murder be part of the lord’s work, eh? I mean, it IS for a good, holy cause, right?
myshiba @ 18:
:)
you’re so cute when you’re trolling!
I might also add that given the situation in the middle east if Turkey is able mediate a peace deal of some sort between Israel and Syria it would mean that Turkey did what the U.S. couldn’t or wouldn’t do. Turkey, can use that to amplify itself further as a regional power broker and player. This will be another indication of the waning U.S. influence and power in the region for all to see.