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So sleepy...
Huzzah. There’s a new interfaith Middle East peace initiative.
[Episcopal Church]Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold joined 32 other Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders in announcing a new collaborative effort to mobilize broad public support in the pursuit of peace in the Middle East.
Grizz needs something to do since half his church wants him to resign and the rest of the Anglican world won’t return his calls. But why the urgency?
Where does the idea come from that Bush isn't already pursuing peace in the Middle East? As far as I know, there was no burning bush (no pun intended) involved in the compilation of the road map. Where does Frank think it came from?
In letters to President George W. Bush and members of the Congress, the religious leaders are calling on the administration to make peace in the Middle East a high priority, warning that “if the Road Map is allowed to fail, Israelis and Palestinians will sink even deeper into cycles of violence, jeopardizing the prospect of a two-state solution, escalating regional instability, undermining the global campaign against terrorism, and threatening vital U.S. national security interests.”
And the Cardinals won’t find a decent starting pitcher and the Maker’s Mark distillery will burn down. The end of civilization as we know it. Gotcha? So what does this complete waste of time plan involve?
The religious leaders endorsed four steps that could renew momentum on the Road Map, the Bush administration’s incremental peace plan that includes establishing a Palestinian state. First step would be a call for an end to all acts of violence and a renewed effort to work for a ceasefire.
You mean just really nicely asking Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Yasser’s boys to pretty please stop exploding? It’s so simple, it’s brilliant!
Doh! Why didn't I think of that? The man's obviously a genius!
Second, keeping a visibly active special presidential envoy in the region,
A special presidential envoy to the Middle East? Sounds like kind of a radical step.
Kind of like Zinni used to be, maybe? I'm not sure the Peace Processor® can puree that kind of corpse counts...
followed by more specific steps by the Israelis and the Palestinian Authority, with a timetable and vigorous monitoring.
In other words, we have no idea what Israelis and Palestinians should do but whatever it is, it’s going have a timetable and be strictly monitored.
Finally, support for benchmark ideas for possible peace agreements from earlier negotiations and initiatives such as the Geneva Accord, an official plan signed December 1 that is drawing support.
Meaning, that if any of you out there in Rantburgland have any ideas, we’d really appreciate it if you sent them along. Because we drew two deuces. Yeah, I can see broad public support for this thing [end corrosive sarcasm]
Posted by: Christopher Johnson 2003-12-23
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=23263