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http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/middle-east-peace-turns-out-be-harder-trump-thought?cid=sm_fb_maddow
Middle East peace turns out to be harder than Trump thought
08/04/17 02:43 PM
By Steve Benen
In April, Donald Trump declared with confidence, I want to see peace with Israel and the Palestinians. There is no reason theres not peace between Israel and the Palestinians none whatsoever. As we discussed at the time, there are all kinds of things standing in the way of peace, though the president didnt appear to recognize them.
He was, however, quite serious about the attitude. In May, Trump expanded on his earlier thoughts, and boasted theres a very, very good chance his administration would help strike a deal for Middle East peace. Its something, frankly, maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years, the president added.
With this in mind, Trump assigned his young son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to oversee the White Houses efforts to reach an agreement between Palestinians and Israelis. In fact, earlier this year, Trump said of Kushner, If you cant produce peace in the Middle East, nobody can. OK. All my life Ive been hearing thats the toughest deal in the world to make. And Ive seen it, but I have a feeling that Jared is going to do a great job.
Seven months later, Jared Kushner doesnt seem to agree. Wired magazine published a leaked transcript of remarks the presidents senior adviser delivered to a group of congressional interns this week, and the questions he fielded about negotiating a possible peace deal.
Later in the clip, Kushner expresses frustration at others attempts to teach him about the delicate situation hes been inserted into, saying, Everyone finds an issue, that You have to understand what they did then and You have to understand that they did this. But how does that help us get peace? Lets not focus on that. We dont want a history lesson. Weve read enough books. Lets focus on, How do you come up with a conclusion to the situation?
He added, So, what do {Trump administration officials} offer thats unique? I dont know.
This doesnt exactly inspire confidence.
The presidents 36-year-old son-in-law, who had no background in government or foreign policy before starting at the White House this year, has been tasked with one of the most difficult diplomatic challenges in the world, and hes apparently concluded that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is emotionally charged and he no longer sees value in reading about the subject.
Its almost as if Kushner is in way over his head. Trumps confidence in him notwithstanding, the senior White House adviser seemed to realize on Monday that hes probably not the guy wholl deliver on this long sought goal.
As for the president, didnt Trump tell us in May that the peace process may not as difficult as people have thought over the years? Its almost as if he had no idea what he was talking about.
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)Beakybird
(3,334 posts)1. Withdraw from Paris Climate agreement.
2. Wait for the Middle East to become too hot for human survival.
3. Peace.
BigmanPigman
(51,649 posts)CatMor
(6,212 posts)just about everything was going to be easy for him because he' thinks hes so smart.