Some things are so simple that they become difficult.
Since the 1967 Arab/Israeli War, U.S. Presidents of both parties have been pursuing the "peace process" in the Middle East. It has become so obligatory that the actual pursuit of PEACE has become secondary. As long as the "process" is engaged, that's all that really seems to matter.
Last week's meetings in Annapolis, Maryland reflect the latest installment of this sad reality. There, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice presided over a series of carefully coreographed minuets, all of which were presented to a yawning world as "peace talks".
The seminal question I have always had on this matter is, "how does one seriously negotiate ANYTHING with parties that are sworn to accomplish your very death, destruction, and annihilation"?
We are in the throws of a Presidential Primary season, and wouldn't it be nice to hear a candidate, ANY candidate, say something along these lines?
To the Arabs and Palestinians:
"Look guys - all this talk of Israel having no right to exist and how you are dedicated to wiping it off the face of the earth - well, that's really not helping matters. And my Administration won't be spending one iota of time, effort, or money to support the "process" until you can bring yourself to verbalize what the entire world already knows. That they ARE a legitimate State and they DO have a right to exist. We settled that question way back in 1948".
And to Israel:
"Hey man - if we can get those other guys to agree to the above, can you immediately agree to the establishment of a Palestianian State, and dedicate yourself to a meaningful plan for its implementation"?
To state that these matters are centuries old and deeply complex is to state the obvious - Middle East geo-politics is a Gordian Knot of Olympian proportions. But plain, simple statements like the above seem to be the only real starting point.
Anything else is just so much diplomatic window dressing.
