It's tough for any side to make big decisions during a period of uncertainty. Once the situation in Egypt settles, the U.S. needs to assess what the chances are for moving forward in a serious Israeli-Palestinian situation. The gaps are big. The leaders are weak. It won't be easy.
When the Israeli press hammers an American president for forcing Mubarak out of power, that's not what I would call calm thinking. The fact is, if Israelis aren't worried about developments in Egypt, they ought to be. The landscape on Israel is going to get a lot tougher as secular nationalists and Islamists play a bigger role in the Egyptian political system.
Thank you, Mr Miller, for this and all of your many previous efforts to clarity the real issues, conflicts and opportunities in the Middle East. You have a unique background, and well deserved credibility. I've watched Israel's "image" in the world worsen through five decades. Unfortunately, much of this is self-inflicted: the demonizing of virtually every Palestinian voice, the assassinations of grassroots leaders, the aggressive settlements policies, and for the past several years the heartless, immoral, virtual imprisonment of Gaza's population. I think many of us will look to Gaza to show what these current changes will bring. If Gazans can finally go abroad to study, obtain cement to rebuild, import groceries have unhindered access to the Internet, and export products: how could we not welcome that? Please keep up your good work. And work with Congress, please, to restrain their certain inclinations to screw things up. Bob Dickerman Swoope, Virginia
We should welcome it and do everything we can to make sure there is some normalcy in Gaza's political development and economic life. But very little of that is under our control. Hamas and Israel both ensure that.
Why do you think that Jordan is next after Egypt? To my knowledge, 30% of Jordanians, who are original jordanians, or Eastern jordanians, if you will, are loyal to the royal family, and will, by no means, never protest against king Abdullah II...
I"m not sure Jordan is "next" for regime change. But there's no doubt that divisions within Jordanian society and concerns over unemployment and corruption can start additional protests.
You could hardly argue that the U.S. only promotes the interests of Christians and Jews. We're involved in nation-building in Afghanistan and Iraq. We interceded on behalf of Bosnian Muslims. So -- I think the question is far too pejorative. America doesn't fear democracy in Egypt. That wasn't the point of my article. But democracy in Egypt will make it harder for America to operate on a range of issues including containing Iran and counterterrorism.
I guess I won't put you down in the undecided column.
Whatever allergy there may be to ElBaradei, any opposition to him on our part flows from the fact that he is not seen as legitimate on the streets. Even more important, we shouldn't be in the process of choosing candidates.
You should ask them! Most every Israeli PM who has negotiated with the Arabs has adopted that approach to some degree or another. And in Egypt and Jordan, the Israelis proved successful.
That just goes to show you that the real focus of the efforts rely on the Israelis and the Palestinians, but Mubarak has been willing to support an Israeli-Palenstinian process and give it a chance to succeed. That's what Oslo was all about. I'm not sure the new Egypt will be as supportive.
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