JTF.ORG Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: New Yorker on January 08, 2009, 10:44:15 PM
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Obama camp 'prepared to talk to Hamas'
Incoming administration will abandon Bush's isolation of Islamist group to initiate low-level diplomacy, say transition sources
The incoming Obama administration is prepared to abandon George Bush's doctrine of isolating Hamas by establishing a channel to the Islamist organisation, sources close to the transition team say.
The move to open contacts with Hamas, which could be initiated through the US intelligence services, would represent a definitive break with the Bush presidency's ostracising of the group. The state department has designated Hamas a terrorist organisation, and in 2006 Congress passed a law banning US financial aid to the group.
The Guardian has spoken to three people with knowledge of the discussions in the Obama camp. There is no talk of Obama approving direct diplomatic negotiations with Hamas early on, but he is being urged by advisers to initiate low-level or clandestine approaches, and there is growing recognition in Washington that the policy of ostracising Hamas is counter-productive. A tested course would be to start contacts through Hamas and the US intelligence services, similar to the secret process through which the US engaged with the PLO in the 1970s. Israel did not become aware of the contacts until much later.
A UN resolution was agreed last night at the UN, calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between Hamas and Israeli forces in Gaza. The resolution was passed, though the US, represented by secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, abstained.
Richard Haass, a diplomat under both Bush presidents who was named by a number of news organisations this week as Obama's choice for Middle East envoy, supports low-level contacts with Hamas provided there is a ceasefire in place and a Hamas-Fatah reconciliation emerges.
Another potential contender for a foreign policy role in the Obama administration suggested that the president-elect would not be bound by the Bush doctrine of isolating Hamas.
"This is going to be an administration that is committed to negotiating with critical parties on critical issues," the source said.
There are a number of options that would avoid a politically toxic scenario for Obama of seeming to give legitimacy to Hamas.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/08/barack-obama-gaza-hamas (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/08/barack-obama-gaza-hamas) >:(
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Once a dumb shvug, always a dumb shvug! >:(
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Once a dumb shvug, always a dumb shvug! >:(
I wonder when he'll open talks with Al Queda, maybe he'll invite Osama Bin Laden to stay in the Lincoln Bedroom. >:(
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I'm sure the soon to be Sec. Of Hate will lead the charge on this one.
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:throw:
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Is anybody surprised? It's not surprising but it is alarming. This will lead to isolating Israel even more than it is already isolated. Legitimizing Hamas should be considered treason as it is contrary to American interests. There are more Hamas cells across America than any other type of terrorist cell. This is what happens when you have a treasonous president, a treasonous senate, and a treasonous congress.
Who is left to stop them?
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In an interview with the NYT, he openly said that
Hamas has "legitimate claims". This got no coverage in the mass media nor by his opponents. So no surprise here.
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he's America's Neville Chamberlain
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Obama is either a moron... or is purposely trying to sabotage Israel.
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Obama is either a moron... or is purposely trying to sabotage Israel.
the latter. he hates it with a passion. his hatred was cemented into his heart while visiting pakistan during his college age, while pakistan was under marshal law.