Our Ms. Brooks: Teh Stupid!
Rosa Brooks has a superb column on the situation in Gaza in which she skewers all of the major actors. Using the frame of "How to be stupid", she then lists the deadly and boneheaded moves in what I consider to be an evenhanded analysis, and I urge you to click on over to read the entire column.
The part that interested me most was the section on the Bush administration response:
. . . Bush style
Avoid opportunities to push for a rapid end to the conflict. Wring your hands every now and then, but don't engage seriously with European, Turkish or Arab actors anxious to propose compromises that could end the conflict. Block a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a temporary cease-fire on the grounds that it doesn't offer a durable solution.
In general, sit back and relax. It's just the Middle East exploding again. It's just a harbinger of ongoing suffering, regional instability and global terrorism. No big deal. Let the new guy handle it.
Pretty accurate description of our current leader, eh?
Oh, Sec. of State Rice has been wearing her fingertips to the bone dialing world leaders and Israel, but she has made it clear she has no intention of traveling anywhere this late in the game. Let Hillary do it. Besides, Hamas had it coming. It's their fault for lobbing rockets into Israel.
Mr. Bush also feels it's Hamas' due. After all, they are a terrorist organization. Maybe Israel can finally stamp those pesky Arabs out and the land can be restored to its pristine milk and honey state. Besides, John Howard is in town.
And Mr. Obama, the President Elect?
Well, there can be only president at a time. It would be unseemly to make any comments that could be construed as presumptuous. Besides, the inauguration is only twelve days away. There will be time enough to deal with the issue after that when he is the real president.
Only twelve days: twelve days of rocket and bomb showers, some of the weapons tipped with phosphorus. There are still some mosques and schools standing and some parts of Israel that haven't been littered with Katushyas. There are still some civilians on both sides of the wall that haven't been spattered with blood, their own and that of their families and friends.
Teh stupid, it burns!
Literally.
The part that interested me most was the section on the Bush administration response:
. . . Bush style
Avoid opportunities to push for a rapid end to the conflict. Wring your hands every now and then, but don't engage seriously with European, Turkish or Arab actors anxious to propose compromises that could end the conflict. Block a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a temporary cease-fire on the grounds that it doesn't offer a durable solution.
In general, sit back and relax. It's just the Middle East exploding again. It's just a harbinger of ongoing suffering, regional instability and global terrorism. No big deal. Let the new guy handle it.
Pretty accurate description of our current leader, eh?
Oh, Sec. of State Rice has been wearing her fingertips to the bone dialing world leaders and Israel, but she has made it clear she has no intention of traveling anywhere this late in the game. Let Hillary do it. Besides, Hamas had it coming. It's their fault for lobbing rockets into Israel.
Mr. Bush also feels it's Hamas' due. After all, they are a terrorist organization. Maybe Israel can finally stamp those pesky Arabs out and the land can be restored to its pristine milk and honey state. Besides, John Howard is in town.
And Mr. Obama, the President Elect?
Well, there can be only president at a time. It would be unseemly to make any comments that could be construed as presumptuous. Besides, the inauguration is only twelve days away. There will be time enough to deal with the issue after that when he is the real president.
Only twelve days: twelve days of rocket and bomb showers, some of the weapons tipped with phosphorus. There are still some mosques and schools standing and some parts of Israel that haven't been littered with Katushyas. There are still some civilians on both sides of the wall that haven't been spattered with blood, their own and that of their families and friends.
Teh stupid, it burns!
Literally.
Labels: Israel, Middle East, Palestine
posted by Diane at 3:55 AM
1 Comments:
The first month will be a test of fire for Sec. State Clinton. She won't have even been confirmed and she'll be the focus of world-wide attention. We'll see if she does what's right, or delivers that for which aipac has payed. Of course is would be better for her personal safety if she did the latter.
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