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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Bush administration refrains from shuttle diplomacy in the Mideast |
| 2006-07-20 |
| In a departure from almost 60 years of American Middle East policy, the Bush administration hasn't intervened to stop the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah or made a serious effort to negotiate a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The White House instead has sought to transform the region by ousting or isolating regimes that support terrorism and by promoting democracy. It argues that past administrations' attempts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East have failed and that more radical change is needed. In the latest crisis in Lebanon, where Israel has been battering Lebanon-based Hezbollah, President Bush has placed a premium on weakening or dismantling Hezbollah, rather than stopping the violence. So far, however, democracy in Lebanon hasn't resulted in the elimination of Hezbollah; instead, the militant group has been strengthened by elections. And withholding U.S. shuttle diplomacy while allowing Israel to proceed with military force could end up increasing support not only for Hezbollah but also for al-Qaida and other Islamist militant groups. "Everybody abhors the loss of innocent life," Bush said Tuesday. "On the other hand, what we recognize is that the root cause of the problem is Hezbollah. And that problem must be addressed internationally by making it clear to Syria that they've got to stop their support to Hezbollah." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #17 I know it's impossible, but imagine if mucky and joe mendiola had kids together. Rantburg would need its own officially recognized (by the UN, of course) decoder rings. It'd drive the LLL batty (not that they're not there already, lol). |
| Posted by: BA 2006-07-20 21:01 |
| #16 It's official, Joseph has become a "Rantburg Personality (TM)". Some of these comments are killer! ;) |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2006-07-20 14:28 |
| #15 Don't do it Joe! You know what happens when Koffee and Cookies get together. Mmm. We used to have coffee and cookies before our department seminars. I'd buzz around the room during the coffee period and immediately fall asleep in the actual talk. Caffeine and sugar is a dangerous combination. |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2006-07-20 14:07 |
| #14 Hush, y'all...he's gone deep under cover for a Top Secret recon mission deep behind enemy lines. You'll be able to read all about it in the Friday Times. Belgium will be horrified. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2006-07-20 11:23 |
| #13 Koffee Annan has proposed a 'Koffee for Cookies' program to protect Joe's cookies. Don't do it Joe! You know what happens when Koffee and Cookies get together. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2006-07-20 10:50 |
| #12 THRAVINS FLINENTER1925/ 2008 |
| Posted by: tu3031 2006-07-20 10:39 |
| #11 I had heard that the Phrench Foreign Minister had gone to Beirut so I am sure it wont be too long before the Lebanese surrender to someone. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2006-07-20 10:35 |
| #10 A bake sale has been suggested to raise funding to save Joe's cookies. All in favor ? |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-07-20 09:52 |
| #9 Sorry, Captain America, but China and Russia have threatened to support France's veto of Joe's cookies. They think Rantburg is acting unilaterally before allowing Hans Blix to continue his investigation. |
| Posted by: Swamp Blondie 2006-07-20 07:12 |
| #8 UN to pass resolution to save Joe's cookies. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-07-20 06:19 |
| #7 Cookies are one thing, but for gawds sake don't mess with JOEs brownies. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-07-20 05:58 |
| #6 Mr. Mendiola, someone has eaten your cookies! |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-07-20 05:41 |
| #5 1 generous capitalization - check 2 stream of consciousness - check 3 need babelfish for translation - check It's Joe Mendiola! ;-) |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2006-07-20 03:18 |
| #4 Joseph, is that you? :-) |
| Posted by: gorb 2006-07-20 02:41 |
| #3 Ala CHALLENGER, which symbolized Reagan's challenge to the the USSR; and COLUMBIA, which symbolized the implosion = destruction of the USA vv winning the battles but losing the war, along wid the Indian, Japanese-Asian, and Euro-demonauts on board, dare DISCOVERY? blow up when Americans finally realize = discover the WOT is also a War for Socialism-OWG, etal??? |
| Posted by: Thravins Flinenter1925 2006-07-20 02:34 |
| #2 We've only got two shuttles left. Got way more important tasks for them than to be sailing around in that godforsaken hole. |
| Posted by: SOP35/Rat 2006-07-20 01:57 |
| #1 Well, there just aren't enough Shuttles to go around, these days, y'see... Y'know, this is classic MSM / Elitist / Tranzi stupidity. Just because the shuttle diplo baloney was the norm before does not mean it should remain the norm. Take, for example, how well it has worked out for the last 60 years. It hasn't. There's a war on. Morons. |
| Posted by: Omusing Angong1547 2006-07-20 01:07 |