Status Quo in the open
Reader comment on item: [The Hamas Victory and] Prospects for Peace

Submitted by James Biga (United States), Jan 30, 2006 at 16:08

I always looked upon Yassir Arafat as either a figurehead that did what he was told or as a duplicitous liar. The PA was only a front for the more radical elements. Feigning diplomacy while shuttling terrorists to their targets.

I held no positive aspirations when Arafat died. PM Abbas just isn't as good with the kerfluffle as Arafat was. Now the "palestinians" have put their true face out for all to see. Money and aid will stop for awhile. Hamas will use this to show that certain western countries are evil and don't care about the "palestinian" plight.

This gives them the internal moral authority to continue with the anti-American rhetoric backed up with terrorist actions. After a few attacks the west will be willing to open diplomatic talks. Hamas will rebuke terrorist acts in front of the world community, promise a long term truce, and the financial pipeline will be turned back on. Meanwhile, back on their home turf, they will continue to spew invectives on the west. Politicians in the west will prove that they have learned nothing from history and experience. They will continue to deal with, and fund, the same people who wish to destroy them. Iran will tighten it's ties with Hamas and at some point a nuclear weapon will be pointed towards Israel. The EU will still want to talk about it. At some point they will do something that upsets the Mullahs and a nuclear weapon will be aimed at them. This will enforce the resolutions reached in the Euro-Arab dialogues are enforced. Europe's capitulation will lead to it's eventual downfall.

Meanwhile, what is the US to do? With Europe out of the way they can focus all their efforts in our direction. The problem then is North Korea will most assuredly have nukes. Venezuela and Bolivia will have been able to enlist other South/Central American countries to Socialism/Communism and we will be too busy in our own backyard to deal with the Middle East threats. We are about to be hamstrung by numerically overwhelming occurrences. This is not what I had wanted to leave my Children or their children. What a legacy. Granted, none of this negative prediction is inevitable. However, I see nothing that would lead me to a potentially positive outcome.

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