The Road to Disaster, Not Peace

The Washington Post reports that Bush's speech to the American Enterprise Institute signaled "a shift in the administration's policy on the controversial issue of Israeli settlements, apparently embracing the Israeli government's view that substantial concessions by the Palestinians are necessary before Israel must begin to rein in the expansion of settlements in the occupied territories." Following the speech, Ariel Sharon announced that his ruling coalition has "virtually ruled out the creation of a Palestinian state" as a long term consideration.

These declarations should come as no surprise. Bush has continually pushed the Palestinian issue to the backburner, while at the same time making disingenous proclamations that he longs for peace in the Middle East, and is working towards that goal. But clearly, and quite to the contrary, it has not been a priority. In reality, his administration wants nothing to do with the conflict right now. They're thinking that down the road, after Iraq is taken care of, it will be much easier to deal with. Only then will they start to address it with any degree of seriousness, and only once the tables have tipped irreversibly in favor of the Israeli position, with "transfer" being the desired outcome.

Iraq is posited as the first step in bringing democracy to the Middle East. To most Arabs and Muslims, though, that's a slap in the face. For them, the road to reform, peace, and democracy begins in the West Bank and Gaza, not in Baghdad.