Sponsored Content
« Sheik Ahmad al-Rishawi offers Anbar awakening troops for Afghanistan | Main | Obama's Birth Certificate Rumors »
June 10, 2008

Israeli Diplomatic Method a lesson for Barack? [krakatoa]

The Wall Street Journal describes the process Israel has taken in attempting to open dialogue with Syria, and submits that such nuance has thus far escaped Obama.

The Olmert overture is a classic case study in how to reach out to an unfriendly leader -- as well as when not to do so...

About a year ago, senior Israeli officials say, Mr. Olmert decided that breaking the Syrian-Iranian link was a strategic imperative. Judging there was no way to accomplish that by working through the Israel-haters atop Iran's clerical regime, he decided to reach out instead to the secular president of Syria, Bashar Assad. In short, he sought a dialogue with his enemy.

This was the Olmert message to Syria, Israeli officials say: You have an alternative to friendship with Iran, and it can be good for you. Peace with Israel would translate into commercial relations with the West, international help to achieve real economic development, international respect and an end to enmity with the U.S. The price would be cutting ties to Iran, expulsion of terror groups from Damascus and an end to support for those attacking American forces in Iraq...

So Mr. Olmert decided to find an indirect, and secret, channel to start the process.

Read it all, as they say, for the details on how Olmert threaded the needle to prevent an embarassment for Israel's allies, and avoided the fatal mistake of going into a meeting with an enemy state as a "weak horse", with no preconditions.

WSJ's conclusion:

What are the lessons for Sen. Obama? The Israeli move confirms the value of reaching out to an enemy, which was the gist of the Obama impulse in answering that debate question.

But the Israeli overture also shows that timing is crucial and a clear agenda for any talks essential. It also shows that laying the groundwork to avoid surprises can be a slow and painstaking process.

I find it predictable, but entirely frustrating, that truly dispassionate reporting tends to come from financial sources. Makes one wonder if a journalism degree ought to be loaded heavily with economics credits.


digg this
posted by xgenghisx at 11:19 AM

| Access Comments




Recent Comments
Drewbicle : "Always a tough day here with the, “alternati ..."

Indignacio Vindacatorem: "Overturning Roe was a Deus Vult moment. It was the ..."

The Unmasked and Unvaxxed Ranger: "This is true for most women and gays. It's why the ..."

lorien1973: "Posted by: The Unmasked and Unvaxxed Ranger at May ..."

Brave Sir Robin: "It’s Pennsylvania, land of retards, pedophil ..."

...: " I think nobody currently is happy with the govern ..."

Divide by Zero [/i]: " [i]GOP evaporated on this issue after the ruling ..."

CppThis: "Wasn't Lumpy's opponent pro abortion? ..."

Mr Gaga: "As re gun rights and SCOTUS, we've won nuttin'. ..."

Every child has a normal childhood, we're watching it be used as an attack: "McCarthy was right. Never forget that, because ..."

The Unmasked and Unvaxxed Ranger: "Lake? Who told people in AZ not to vote for her. W ..."

Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons: "They are very good at selling emotional arguments. ..."

Recent Entries
Search


Polls! Polls! Polls!
Frequently Asked Questions
The (Almost) Complete Paul Anka Integrity Kick
Top Top Tens
Greatest Hitjobs

The Ace of Spades HQ Sex-for-Money Skankathon
A D&D Guide to the Democratic Candidates
Margaret Cho: Just Not Funny
More Margaret Cho Abuse
Margaret Cho: Still Not Funny
Iraqi Prisoner Claims He Was Raped... By Woman
Wonkette Announces "Morning Zoo" Format
John Kerry's "Plan" Causes Surrender of Moqtada al-Sadr's Militia
World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading
Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree
Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)
Powered by
Movable Type 2.64