Woe Is Us!

Excerpts from Joe Lieberman's recent speech to those attending AIPAC's annual policy conference. His is a lonely voice and certainly not one respected or cared for within his own Party. The Democrats are not interested in anything other than winning '08 and extending their power in Congress so they can impose their retrogressive economic and social policies. Republicans are not much better because they have walked away from everything they stand for in order to appeal to voters. Woe is us! (See 1 below.)

Simplistically speaking there are two Arab/Muslim attitudes towards Israel. One, help by Islamic radical fanatics, is to completely eliminate it. The second, more benign and held by Arab/Muslim "moderates" is to de-fang Israel.

The elimination of Israel is possible as a result of missile capability and an Islamic nuclear device. Forgetting morally for a moment, the elimination of Israel would be a strategic mistake because it would remove all pretense Arabs/Muslims have that Israel is the cause of their problems. In fact it would increase their problems for that very reason because propaganda about Israel has helped their leaders rally their street people to look outward. The flames of religious hatred serve a relevant purpose of helping despotic regimes to remain viable.

Territorially defanging Israel makes more sense because it leaves Israel as a propaganda threat but not one strategically. An Israel that cannot adequately defend itself and could be eliminated in any serious war dedicated to that purpose neutralizes its influence and weakens it militarily enough to make it always politically vulnerable.

The march toward recognition of the unity government and financing it has begun and according to one analysis it may be the death march for Fatah. (See 2 and 3 below.)

Dick




1) Joe Lieberman's powerful speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual policy meeting attracted a lot of notice -- and with good reason. Coming from the man who had the second spot on the Democrats' national ticket not too long ago, it presents a startling indictment of Democrat party leaders so consumed with partisan animosity and lust for political power that they have lost sight of America's national interest.

A few choice excerpts:

Increasingly, the debate over our foreign policy is becoming so polarized, so partisan, so bound up in the battles we are having here in Washington, that it seems blind to the real battle outside of America, the challenge of our time from the Islamist extremists who want to destroy us all, who attacked America on September 11, 2001, and intend to do so again.

... I understand the anger about Iraq, but I am deeply troubled by how this anger, and the feelings of animosity that many people have for President Bush, have begun to affect the way we talk and think about what is happening in the world beyond Iraq and America's role in it.

There is something profoundly wrong when opposition to the war in Iraq seems to inspire greater passion than opposition to Islamist extremism.

... And there is something profoundly wrong when, in the face of attacks by radical Islam, we think we can find safety and stability by pulling back, by talking to and accommodating our enemies, and abandoning our friends and allies.

Some of this wrong-headed thinking about the world is happening because we're in a political climate where, for many people, when George Bush says "yes," their reflex reaction is to say "no."

That is unacceptable.

Unsurprisingly, Lieberman's Senate Democrat colleagues ignored his warning and pressed ahead with their latest attempt to eviscerate the President's authority to act as Commander-in-Chief -- the 17th such measure Democrats have offered during their "first 100 days" as Congress's majority party.

The surprise is that the measure -- which would have passed even without Senator Lieberman's support had Reid and Durbin maintained the support of their other members -- went down to defeat because of Democrat defections.

Then the Senate then went on to pass a resolution that explicitly prohibits defunding our troops in the field -- a blow to the hard-left elements of the party that still hope the Democrats will eventually do so. The latter measure was one Reid and company had gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid voting on and its passage was a clear Republican win.

Even with Democrats in power, the Democrats’ plan for defeat and retreat is controversial and its passage is no sure thing The RJC thanks Senator Lieberman contributing clarity to the debate and for enduring the abuse he has gotten as a result.

2) Mahmoud Abbas urged an end of the world boycott against the Palestinian government although Middle East Quartet conditions are ignored in its platform.

The unity government he has launched with Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh won a vote of confidence at the Palestinian legislative council Saturday, March 17. The US and European governments have already set up contacts. Norway was the first Western goernment to re-establish political and economic ties.

Washington will invite Salim Fayad in his capacity as the PLO’s financial adviser – but not as Palestinian finance minister, so long as the unity government withholds recognition from Israel and a guarantee to end violence. Israel will maintain contact with Mahmoud Abbas alone; there will be no other form of cooperation with a Palestinian government that refuses to accept these Middle East Quartet’s terms.

The UK will maintain working contacts with non-Hamas ministers. Later Saturday, the Palestinian legislative council votes confidence in the new 24-member government. Its signatories, Mahmoud Abbas and Ismail Haniya, Hamas, as designated prime minister, will outline its platform.

Vice PM Shimon Peres said Saturday that Israel rejects absolutely as “suicidal” the Palestinian demand for the “right of return,” which is also incorporated in the Saudi peace plan to be re-launched at the coming Arab summit March 28. He said the Fatah-Hamas accord binds Israel to nothing. “For peace, they must talk to us. The Europeans can’t talk for Israel.”

He confirmed that Abbas failed to make good on his pledge to procure the release of the Israeli soldier, kidnapped by Hamas-led raiding party last June, before the new Palestinian government was set up. The issue remains as unresolved as before.

One putative “independent,” the designated foreign minister Ziyad Amar, is a known Hamas adherent. Pro-American Salam Fayed is retained as finance minister as bait to draw US recognition and international assistance.

Abbas and Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh (who retains the post) worked against the stopwatch to get their Saudi-brokered unity act together in time for the Riyadh Arab summit on March 28.

If anything, Abbas lost points; any agreements or deals he may conclude with Israel will be subject to ratification by the Palestinian national assembly which has a Hamas majority of a national referendum. But because the unity deal is in the bag, the Palestinians will be represented at the Arab summit this month by a Hamas prime minister.

3) ANALYSIS: The unity gov't may be the last nail in Fatah's coffin
By Avi Issacharoff

The celebrations in Ramallah and Gaza on Saturday of the Palestinian Authority unity government could all too quickly turn into a burial ceremony for Fatah.

The movement over the past year presented itself as a clear political alternative to Hamas. Now it has become Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh's closest ally. Senior Fatah officials opposed to the move worry the organization will thus be identified with failures in the economy, internal security and in creating a political horizon.

The limited protests from senior Fatah figures against Hamas policy will peter out and with them the chances to constitute a real political and cultural competition to the Islamists.

Both Haniyeh and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas were all smiles on Saturday, but Haniyeh and his Hamas associates particularly had reason to be pleased. Following tough negotiations, Hamas has a majority in the cabinet after Fatah agreed to consider Foreign Minister Ziyad Abu Amar as one of the independent ministers representing it.

The idea of holding elections was rejected, and a crack has appeared in the diplomatic siege of Hamas, while the organization has not changed its ideology: no recognition of Israel, no negotiations with it (Abbas will do the dirty work) and "the resistance" in other words, violence will go on.

However, the option of Palestinian unity and damage to Fatah was the lesser of two evils. The other possibility for Abbas was civil war. The problem is that until the next elections for president (in less than two years) the Palestinian public will forget that Abbas overcame lesser political considerations and remember primarily that Fatah is not functioning. The movement's reforms of bringing in younger leaders was not enough. Most of the 72,0000 registered members of Fatah know today there is no alternative to Hamas, say young Tanzim leaders in the West Bank.

The sixth party convention has become a stale joke; there seems little chance it will ever be held. The party is in economic crisis, and attempts by senior Fatah officials to impact voters through a social safety net pale in comparison to Hamas' social services network. Corruption in PA institutions and the chaos on the streets are identified with Fatah and its security forces. Above all, the feeling is widespread that no one is in charge in Fatah.

Meanwhile, Hamas is continuing its quiet revolution. Recently 11 Hamas members were appointed to senior posts in the PA Education Ministry, and the number of hours of religious studies has been increased by about 20 percent.

Hamas reaches the hearts of the people, and one of the best ways to do this has always been through the mosques. In 2000, there were 100 of them in Ramallah; today there are 190. Without laws to limit it, Hamas has managed to lead a cultural change in Palestinian society. Most women in the territories wear head coverings, including some who do so to avoid public criticism. Fewer restaurants sell alcohol and halls for weddings and other festivities are being asked not to host belly-dancers.

Hamas leaders are sounding sure of themselves these days, while working unceasingly to gain new members, and Fatah carries on with its internal struggles.