The Terrorists won.

**Bortaz** · 27-01-2006, 04:50

In Palestine, anyway.

What effect will this have on peace in the Middle East?

**Moosashi** · 27-01-2006, 04:57

This is really a reflection of how the Palestinians feel. They are at war and the deterioration of what little peace there is will reflect that. Real peace won't come until militarily, there is a definitive victor (and loser).

**Bortaz** · 27-01-2006, 05:02

You can be certain this will eliminate Israel from any "talks", like they had with Fatah leaders like ol' Yassah'.

**Necrochild313** · 27-01-2006, 05:34

Good god man. Good god.

At least the process was democratic though.

**Dondrei** · 27-01-2006, 05:37

Yes, this is quite a mess. And inevitable.

Originally Posted by Bortaz

You can be certain this will eliminate Israel from any "talks", like they had with Fatah leaders like ol' Yassah'.

They've said as much, I saw on the morning news. Predictable.

I don't see what refusing to negotiate with the new Palestinian government is going to acheive. Hamas isn't going to go away because Israel frowns at the Palestinian Authority, all this will do is freeze the peace process. And with Ariel Sharon out of the picture it looks as if things are taking a turn for the worse for that anyway (not that I believe his changed stripes were anything other than a new strategy). Just because the "terrorists" have a voice in the government doesn't mean talks should stop - Britain continued to negotiate with Sinn Fein after all.

**DurfBarian** · 27-01-2006, 05:39

Let this be a lesson for all nations that would seek to establish democracy in the Middle East! Um, what?

**Moosashi** · 27-01-2006, 05:53

Originally Posted by dondrei

I don't see what refusing to negotiate with the new Palestinian government is going to acheive. Hamas isn't going to go away because Israel frowns at the Palestinian Authority, all this will do is freeze the peace process. And with Ariel Sharon out of the picture it looks as if things are taking a turn for the worse for that anyway (not that I believe his changed stripes were anything other than a new strategy). Just because the "terrorists" have a voice in the government doesn't mean talks should stop - Britain continued to negotiate with Sinn Fein after all.

That's just it. We can infer from this that most Palestinians don't want the "peace process" to go on.

**llad12** · 27-01-2006, 06:00

Originally Posted by DurfBarian

Let this be a lesson for all nations that would seek to establish democracy in the Middle East! Um, what?

Did ya hear that Wolfowitz?

**Stevinator** · 27-01-2006, 06:18

Originally Posted by DurfBarian

Let this be a lesson for all nations that would seek to establish democracy in the Middle East! Um, what?

yeah durf, they're all screaming meemee hooligans, and too dumb for democracy cuz they're brown.

that comment is just not like you.

I think peace can be won in the middle east, and the best way for it to happen is more democracy, and more freedom. the road that way has not and will not be pretty, but if americans can get this thought that they are somehow better than muslims out of their heads, we might have a shot at it. Much of the problem is that we are hated. we need to show muslims we're not evil and that they can be welcomed and their beliefs will be respected. this process is going to take many presidents, and as much as I hate to say it, our troops will be there and back several times i'm sure, but i know it's possible. We don't have a choice. We owe the effort to our children, as time passes and technology is improved, so will our and their ability to blow each other and us, up. I'd like to make as many inroads as possible now, before the threat becomes too great. 2500 american and 30k "iraqis" is a lot of death, but imagine 50 years from today, heck imagine ten years from today. how many countries will have the bomb? How much will missiles and sattelites and whatnot be improved? what will be possible? Our only hope is that we'll be able to breed successful self-sustaining governments in the middle east, long before Smeg's rants become reality.