EX-Prez Carter to meet with Hamas...

DeepIron · 04-17-08, 06:01 PM

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Originally Posted by August

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Originally Posted by DeepIron

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Originally Posted by bradclark1

Hamas is first and foremost a terrorist organization. A president(even a past president) talking to them sets a bad precedence. It will be seen as a propaganda feather in their cap. I'm not against dialog but it should be low level. Carter is dead wrong doing this.

Ok, just being the Devils Advocate...

Only the militant wings of Hamas is "officially" considered "terrorist". Yes, the Hamas govenment is described as a "group involved in terrorist attacks" but they did legitimately win a majority of seats in the legislative council of the Palestinian Authority...

How "low level" would we have to be to initiate a dialog? I doubt that if the US send a junior attache from the US Embassy to talk, that any good would come from it. Higher level "official" dialogs between Hamas, Israel, US, et al have failed to produce any significant results and I'm pretty certain there were "lower level" discussions as well...

The world is told that progess is being made and time after time, we see an "accord" between the two groups, only to be "busted" by one or the other.

One thing Carter can do is bring more notice to the situation perhaps...

More notice to the situation? How much more notice of the Palestinian problem does the world need? It's been a nearly daily news item for the past 40 years. Carter of all people is not going to change that.

That's the point. This situation hasn't changed in decades. I don't see why the administration is upset as, AFAIK, all "official' channels have led to nothing... What I'm saying is "Why not?". What further "damage" can be done that hasn't already? I can't see where using ex-Prez Carter in any propaganda will change anything either... The worst that can happen is, what? That these people will continue to kill one another? Status Quo...

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This is Jimy Carter we're talking about. He has been playing self appointed diplomat for well over a decade now with no more success than he had during his presidency.

Who knows?

August · 04-17-08, 06:21 PM

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Originally Posted by DeepIron

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Originally Posted by August

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Originally Posted by DeepIron

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Originally Posted by bradclark1

Hamas is first and foremost a terrorist organization. A president(even a past president) talking to them sets a bad precedence. It will be seen as a propaganda feather in their cap. I'm not against dialog but it should be low level. Carter is dead wrong doing this.

Ok, just being the Devils Advocate...

Only the militant wings of Hamas is "officially" considered "terrorist". Yes, the Hamas govenment is described as a "group involved in terrorist attacks" but they did legitimately win a majority of seats in the legislative council of the Palestinian Authority...

How "low level" would we have to be to initiate a dialog? I doubt that if the US send a junior attache from the US Embassy to talk, that any good would come from it. Higher level "official" dialogs between Hamas, Israel, US, et al have failed to produce any significant results and I'm pretty certain there were "lower level" discussions as well...

The world is told that progess is being made and time after time, we see an "accord" between the two groups, only to be "busted" by one or the other.

One thing Carter can do is bring more notice to the situation perhaps...

More notice to the situation? How much more notice of the Palestinian problem does the world need? It's been a nearly daily news item for the past 40 years. Carter of all people is not going to change that.

That's the point. This situation hasn't changed in decades. I don't see why the administration is upset as, AFAIK, all "official' channels have led to nothing... What I'm saying is "Why not?". What further "damage" can be done that hasn't already? I can't see where using ex-Prez Carter in any propaganda will change anything either... The worst that can happen is, what? That these people will continue to kill one another? Status Quo...

Quote:

This is Jimy Carter we're talking about. He has been playing self appointed diplomat for well over a decade now with no more success than he had during his presidency.

Who knows?

Well actually the worst that could happen was to have a former US presidents head sawn off on al jazzera, but seriously I'd rather not see a him played like the chump I know he will be.

I do suppose however that a little official displeasure by the Bush administration might give Carter some stock in whatever negotiations he's going to attempt.

DeepIron · 04-17-08, 06:39 PM

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Well actually the worst that could happen was to have a former US presidents head sawn off on al jazzera, but seriously I'd rather not see a him played like the chump I know he will be.

Let's hope not, on both points!

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I do suppose however that a little official displeasure by the Bush administration might give Carter some stock in whatever negotiations he's going to attempt.

Again, why not? Nothing else has worked, and perhaps it might spur a little more "urgency" from the BA. Now THAT would good on GWB's resume... achieving some long lasting peace between Palestine and Israel... One can only hope..