Soccer Dad

Baker's bad recipe

Lisa Beyer (wife of Ze'ev Chafets) and Time Bureau Chief in Jerusalem criticizes James Baker's assertion that solving the Israeli/Arab conflict is essential to solving the problems of the Middle East, in The Big Lie about the Middle East. (More on her column here.)

To promote the canard that the troubles of the Arab world are rooted in the Palestinians' misfortune does great harm. It encourages the Arabs to continue to avoid addressing their colossal societal and political ills by hiding behind their Great Excuse: it's all Israel's fault. Certainly, Israel has at times been an obnoxious neighbor, but God help the Arab leaders, propagandists and apologists if a day ever comes when the Arab-Israeli mess is unraveled. One wonders how they would then explain why in Egypt 4 of every 10 people are illiterate; Saudi Arabian Shi'ites (not to mention women) are second-class citizens; 11% of Syrians live below subsistence level; and Jordan's King can unilaterally dissolve Parliament, as he did in 2001. Or why no Middle Eastern government but Israel's and to some extent Lebanon's tolerates freedom of assembly or speech, or democratic institutions like a robust press or civic organizations with independence and clout--let alone unfettered competitive elections.

Exactly. We'd have peace now if the Arab world wanted peace. If the presumptions of those engaged in Baker-think were correct, 2000 would have been the year that peace reined in the Middle East. The dying Hafez Assad refused nearly all of the Golan when offered by Clinton in Geneva. Hezbollah remained under arms even after Israel withdrew from Lebanon. And Yasser Arafat rejected over 90% of the West Bank and Gaza at Camp David preferring instead to start a war against Israel two months later.

James Baker, famously told an AIPAC audience back in 1989 that it should abandon the idea of "Greater Israel." Of course, he's never been big on telling the Arab world that it should reject the idea of "Greater Palestine" or perhaps "No Israel."

Mere Rhetoric observes that Baker is not willing to sacrifice Lebanon once again to Syria. But by Baker's logic that leaves only one point for leverage with Syria. That would be Israel.

One hopes that President Bush realizes what's up with his father's Secretary of State and remains skeptical of his recommendations.

UPDATE: More at BuzzTracker.

Posted by SoccerDad at December 12, 2006 4:43 PM