Reply #7: The best and the worst of Friedman are on display here

[Jack Rabbit]

Friedman's comments on the Iraq quagmire have been those of a journalistic quack since before the invasion. He found what he thought were noble reasons for the invasion and then forgot that the real reasons for the war were whatever His Illegitimacy thought they were. Friedman said it was bout bringing democracy to Iraq; as far as Bush was concerned, it was about making his cronies more money.

However, Friedman's comments on the Isreali/Palestinian conflict are often worth the read. Yes, whether the Isrealis or anybody else likes him or not, Arafat is the legitimate leader of Palestine. The best the Isrealis can do is deal with his designated PM. Also, whether the Palestinian leadership likes it or not, making peace with Isreal means cracking down on Hamas and IJ. No government of any state, or even a quasi-state like Palestine, can allow loose cannons to determine her policy. Whether it has been done by accident or design, it is time to tell Shiekh Yassin and his ilk that they have no right to usurp the PA's authority to make war and peace.

Friedman is advancing more realistic and better options here than he advanced in the Iraq war. Unfortunately, there is no reason to believe that Mr. Bush has any more interest in making peace with Syria and Iran than he had in leaving Saddam be, as distasteful as many might have found that. Bush will do what he believes is best for Exxon and Halliburton, not for the world or for America.