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Theyre Jumping In Head First By Akiva Eldar My dear Colette, dont worry, said Tom Lantos, the California congressman, as he tried to calm MK Colette Avital of the Labor Party, who was visiting Capitol Hill last week as part of a delegation of the Peace Coalition. You wont have any problem with Saddam, the Jewish congressman continued. Well be rid of the bastard soon enough. And in his place well install a pro-Western dictator, who will be good for us and for you. Lantos explained to his guest from Israel that theres no lack of Iraqi opposition figures in exile, but until they learn how to run a state, well be there. According to Lantos that interim period, with an American-sponsored dictator in power, should last between five to six years. Avital says she asked how one can talk about a dictator in Iraq and at the same time demand democratic reforms in the territories as a precondition for renewing the peace process. Lantos said that democratization in the territories is just a general road map. He reminded her that the U.S. didnt turn into a democracy overnight. In any case, he promised her that after America gets rid of all the regimes of evil, it will go straight to Syria, and tell young Assad thats what will happen to him if he doesnt stop supporting terrorism. Its important to emphasize that Lantos is not a Bush administration spokesman, and not even part of the Republican leadership. The 11-term congressman is the leader of the Democratic Party caucus in the House of Representatives International Affairs Committee. His approach, which says an agreement with the Palestinians can wait, like his partys support for semi-lunatic anti-Palestinian legislation, eases the work of the Middle East experts in the State Department. The expectation that as soon as Bush gets rid of Saddam Hussein hell show the same determination to advance a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestiniansas his people are constantly whispering to Bushs Arab friendshas as much chance of fulfillment as the hope that Sharon will withdraw from the territories after getting rid of Arafat. As Lantos says, in the best case, which means the war ends with a new order in Iraq, theres a long line of terrorists after Saddam. In the worst case, meaning the war destabilizes Iraq, and perhaps the entire region, the U.S. will be bogged down for the coming years in a Vietnam-like morass. Unfortunately, Palestinian suicide bombers will presumably continue to keep Israelis atop the list of terror victims around the world, thereby keeping the issue of the occupation and the settlements, let alone tens of thousands of hungry Palestinian children, off the international agenda. All those issues will have to wait at least until Bush finishes his war on terror. Then, sometime in the first part of the second half of his first term in office, like all presidents, hell begin thinking about the coming elections and Jewish donors. Bush has memories from his fathers experience, about how a conflict between the president and a right-wing government in Israel can affect an American presidents career. Apparently, the administration doesnt have a clue what will happen the morning after Saddam is gone. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, asked over the weekend if he can guarantee the next government in Iraq will be preferable to Saddams said frankly, there arent many guarantees in life. In other words, the deluge is ahead of us and were jumping in head first. Thats precisely how Sharon behaves, as well. First well get rid of Arafat and break up the Palestinian Authority and then, well, God is great. Theres nothing new with Sharon, other than the fact that while as housing minster he greeted every American peace envoy visiting the region with new settlements, and now he greets every Palestinian initiative for a cease-fire with an attack on the heart of Gaza, and puts a siege on the Muqata just as the closest thing to a coup detat starts against Arafat. As far as hes concerned, and for that matter, Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon is concerned, the democratic reforms are just a euphemism for erasing any trace of Oslo and getting rid of all those who represent it. It is very difficult to understand how Oslo architect Shimon Peres, and Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, who formally adopted the Saudi peace plan, lend their support to this policy. Now the leaders of Colette Avitals party, she of the Peace Coalition, will pat themselves on the back and explain that because they stayed in the government, a crisis in relations with the U.S. was avoided. Its hard to believe they arent aware of the fear that keeps some of the highest ranking security officers awake at night: that on the morning after the last remnants of the central authority in the territories has been erasedand they are active participants in its erasurewe can expect a flood of terrorism. And we wont even have anyone left to besiege. Haaretz, October 2, 2002 |
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