Sunday, May 21, 2006

Hamas or Hummus?


Here's an interesting article on the latest developments in Palestine, and a sarcastic title: "Does Carter STILL Want To Give Hamas a Chance'?"

As you know, tensions between
Hamas and Fatah have been escalating in the past few weeks. Hamas is one vote short of having an absolute 2/3 majority in the parliament (74 of 132 seats), with Fatah following in the second place (45 seats). Proportionally though, the two parties were much closer in the most recent elections: Fatah received 41.43% of the total vote, and Hamas 44.45%. Only a 3% difference.

Hamas recently established a
security force of its own. Yesterday, a plot to assassinate Fatah's chief security official was foiled. A few days ago, a Hamas official was caught smuggling more than 700,000 US dollars into Palestine - coming back from a trip to Qatar. Yesterday Mahmud Abbas met with Israel's foreign minister (the highest such contact among officials since Hamas's vicotry), and released 11$ million of Palestinian funds from Israel.

Two states are forming, each with its own financial and military wings.

You are facing tensions on three important levels:


At the individual level, you see a population more or less
roughly divided among Fatah and Hamas supporters;


At the state level, you have one party dominating the parliament and another controlling the executive, and more importantly, each faction now having its own armed security force (two armies in "one" nation) and financial donors;

And at the international level, more states are getting involved: Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia (funding Hamas), and the Isareli authority, U.S., and perhaps the E.U., leaning towards Fatah.

When these three levels of fragmentation - individual, state, and intentaional - converge, you have hightened prospects for civil war. Just look at Lebanon in the 1980s, or perhaps, even Iraq today.

Comments:
Jimmy Carter is a despicable and disgusting creature
 
he is one of the most articulate and intelligent (albeit slow-acting as a president) people who contributes to american political culture, so shut your dirty conservative trap
 
agree with winston- carter is crap
 
JImmy carter et al installed the mullahs regime in Iran. He has blood on his hands.
 
Jimmy Carter presided over one of the most indept administrations in the history of this country. Thankfully, he was voted out of office or he would have made GWB look good. Because of his moronic policies, Iran was turned over the the fundamentalists, because of his ill-advised policies and lack of understanding of our enemies, Israel was forced to go fight a war in Lebanon and our citizens were taken hostage in Iran and our Marines blown up in Beirut. Becaues of him, USSR found it a safe proposition to invade Afghanistan, the effects of which are still being felt to this day. Jimmy Carter is a moron. He is an absolute disgrace and I'm ashamed of the fact that he was our president.
 
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