Diplomacy Works Better Than Bombs

[babylonsister]

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/6709

Diplomacy Works Better Than Bombs
by Randolph T Holhut | Apr 11 2007

snip//

If you agree with that line of argument, since we are at war, Pelosi is guilty of treasonous behavior. There's just one problem. The argument is total nonsense.

Leaving aside the fact that if any administration's foreign policy should be undermined, it is the Bush administration's, Pelosi was merely following one of the most important recommendations of the Iraq Study Group — the bipartisan panel whose recent report President Bush has decided to ignore.

The ISG's report recommended direct talks with Syria and Iran as a way of defusing tensions in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East. Pelosi, who was joined by some leading members of the pro-Israel lobby in Congress, justly ignored the petulant stance of President Bush and seized an opportunity that the administration won't.

Two weeks ago, the Arab League unanimously reaffirmed its offer to Israel of full recognition and an end to hostilities in exchange for a withdrawal to Israel's pre-1967 borders and some sort of compensation or resettlement for the 4.5 million Palestinian refugees.

This plan has been rejected by Israel before, but now the fear of Islamic radicalism has the moderate states in the region searching for a way to end the Israeli-Palestinian dispute — one of the key sources of discontent in the Arab world.

The Bush administration ought to get behind this plan. Instead, it is threatening Iran and Syria with attack. President Bush thinks diplomacy is for wimps.

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