October 26, 2007
Condi’s impossible dream
Condolleeza Rice seems very earnest in her efforts to broker a peace deal between Israel and at the very least about half of the Palestinian people. The noted scholar of history (as the White House likes to portray her) has been studying up on Middle East history and even calling on the right’s favorite punching bags Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton for advice.
Good luck to her in these efforts because many have failed at resolving this intractable and now time worn crisis. Maybe Condi can do more than just study what’s already happened and act upon history herself, but thus far she’s been something of a non-entity during her six-plus years in Washington.
Ever notice the way Condi’s always been at best a minor player with Our Fine President, Cheney, Rummy, Rove, Alberto Gonzalez and even good old Colin Powell grabbing all of the spotlights being shown on this administration? Sure, she’s had a few memorable lines here and there, but even in her role as Secretary of State, she’s rarely right in the middle of things.
I think that’s why she’s been given this very tough task. Condi can do her scholarly best to bring the two stubborn sides together to heal hates that have been simmering for decades, and it’s a can’t lose situation for Our Fine President and his more famous henchmen.
If she fails this will seem like just a minor letdown amidst this administration’s ever lengthening list of calamities and catastrophes. And of course, should she somehow succeed in helping to bring about a world with two nations in the Land of Milk and Honey, each calling Jerusalem their capital in peace, then it’ll be time for Our Fine President to step up, shake some hands and stand front and center at some signing event before he talks about food soon to be consumed.
It’s a tough situation for Condi to be in and a very tough task ahead of her. She’s hoping to bring the major players together for a big conference to do before the end of the year and wants Israel and the West Bank/Fatah half of the Palestinian people to prepare a joint statement ahead of time, but thus far the two potential peace partners are not making much headway on their homework.
According to reports, the Palestinian side wants this statement to contain all the details of a peace plan and outline the exact path to Palestinian statehood, while Israel wants to turn in a more general statement of their intention with the precise details of peace to be worked out at the conference itself. To make matters worse, things are percolating extra vigorously in the Gaza Strip these days.
Those fun Hamas and Islamic Jihad folks continue their random rocket and artillery barrages against the closest parts of Israel. The extremists in control of Gaza continue to launch their unguided explosives toward civilian populations, and while they rarely hit or hurt anyone, a bombing is never something to be taken lightly. Israel is pretty fed up with this nonsense and the latest idea to stop the attacks is a plan to cut power to the Gaza Strip in response to the rockets.
The plan calls for a 15 minute blackout after the first rocket assault, with increased outages as every subsequent rocket lands in Israel. While it was approved yesterday, the controversial strategy was not implemented after rockets fell today. Ahead of the proposed talks, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised not to cut the power. The plan has sparked outrage from within and without Israel for relying on collective punishment of the Palestinians for the actions of a few.
It’s into this tit for tat environment that Condi is about to plunge. According to Reuters, “Rice has made clear she will devote all her energy in the… administration’s final 14 months to get what others have failed to attain in the past — a viable, independent Palestinian state living side by side with a secure Israel.” Again, good luck to her and to the people in that sadly and unnecessarily violent land.