President G.W. Bush has declared that 40 years of armed conflict in the holy land will end at the end of his presidential term. Seriously. I include the link.
http://news.yahoo.com/...
**Warning: quasi sarcasm and incredible amounts of cynism ahead. Tread with caution!**
So I read the news: The President has made his mind up that the Israelis and the Palestinans are going to get along. Not just play nice, mind you. No, no, no! Those silly Jews are gonna get their kosher butts out of the "occupied territories" (and the President DID USE those words!) Give the Palestinains back their country.
Not to be upset in this matter, said under incredibly strained smiles, Mahmoud Abbas said "it gives our people great hope."
Now, here's where things get interesting. And I mean, just really downright interesting: the President set up a timeline, with goals. I mean, it's like someone gave him permission to create another Iraq! Within 1 year, by the time a new President comes in, he's supposed to get credit for bringing peace to an area that, really, is quite fine with the crisis-to-crisis living it's under.
Work with me here. President Bush has set up a timeline, with goals, about how the Israelis are supposed to make concessions to the Palestinains (well over due in my opinion) and make adjustements to the standards of living (very well over due) and create a life that is sensitive to their needs (extremely overdue). And have it done so HE gets the credit for it before someone else puts their hand on a bible and says "I do so solumnley swear..."
Now, President Carter (do gooder and minister that he is), spent 12 days mediating between two leaders that were so toxic that Carter apparently had to play diplo-psychology of the highest accord. And this doesn't mean that the leaders were friends for...how long? Now look at them today!
The leaders of Egypt and Israel aren't, like, best friends. But, holy moses--they've worked it out so that there are now tours of the holiest sites all around Israel, though Egypt, and so on and so on. (It's all about the shekels, baby!) And this doesn't mean that any Muhammed Q. Muhammed thinks of Israel as if things are all hallal/kosher. But hey, one less set of countries trying to bomb the hell out of each other, right?
This is a region so explosive that Hamas extremists took over Gaza and Gaza City in June in what became one of the bloodiest and ferocious firefights between civilians, the IDF, Hamas...and whoever else had a gun. (Which would be everyone.)
Lebonon kidnaps 2 IDF soldiers, Israel blows their ass's to the beyond.
Suicide bombing reaches an all time high between the West bank and the rest of the country, so the Kinesset authorizes the building of a 26 high foot wall.
And the President thinks that, by the end of this year, "it's gonna be fixed."
So I ask the question again. When does a country officially call off its ability to fight? When enough of its own troops are dead? Injured?
Who gave the President authority to invade another country and kill more people?
The ones that are already dead are way too much.