President Bush’s speech in the Knesset got results:
Israel and Syria have begun indirect peace talks, mediated by Turkey, aimed at reaching a comprehensive peace accord, the three governments announced in a coordinated statement Wednesday. [...]
The public disclosure that Israel, albeit indirectly, is talking with Syria, one of its most implacable enemies and a sponsor of groups that both Israel and the United States consider terrorists, came less than a week after President Bush, speaking to the Israeli Parliament, created a stir by criticizing those who would negotiate with “terrorists and radicals.”
Mr. Bush’s remarks have become an issue in the American presidential campaign because they were widely perceived as a rebuke to Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic front-runner, who has advocated the kind of engagement that Israel and Syria are now undertaking.
John McCain promptly released a statement claiming that Israel’s appeasement of terrorists proved that Israel wasn’t fit to be President of the United States. Bush added: Israel is the new Chamberlain.
They’re right of course. By speaking to Syria, Israel will most likely get duped into dismantling the entire Israeli military. Or trading the Golan Heights for some fancy beads. Or both. Not that it matters much. The mere act of holding a summit with Israel will greatly invigorate Syria’s confidence. They will be emboldened and cheerful.
Not to mention the fact that just sitting down at the same table with Israel will cover Syria in the magical light of legitimacy. The US and Israel can do that you know.
Operative formula: confidence + legitimacy = juggernaut
Look on the bright side Israel: at least you made it to 60!
May 21, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I’ve always gotten the feeling that the McCain/Bush reluctance to engage in any foreign policy apart from the equivalent of smashing a model airplane that didn’t quite turn out right stems from their embarrassment in having to pronounce certain multisyllabic names without benefit of a cute nickname to fall back on. (deep breath) Put some ardor in your larder with our energizing, moisturizing, tantalizing, romanticizing, surprising, her-prizing, revitalizing tonic.
May 21, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I think it’s got more to do with the fact that every time they sit down to negotiate, they get taken for a ride.
It is staggering, but these guys are dim-witted enough that they sit down backed by a fuck-ton of nukes and even now a pretty substantial economy, and they are negotiating from weakness.
May 21, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Wait, did I miss III and IV already?
May 21, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Dude, III was the Cold War. IV is Iraq, Afghanistan, and later Iran, Syria and probably Saudi Arabia – though Syria is sure screwing with the Chronology. Syria should have waited to be included in IV as it was supposed to, but now they’re going to take over Israel and possibly the rest of the Middle East and Europe in their own World War. V.
Selfish bastards.
May 21, 2008 at 2:16 pm
In essence, Bush’s policy did cause this. “Liberating” Iraq strengthened Iran, about whom Syria is now nervous, right?
(I don’t really give a shite, I just wanted to see what critter my post gets.)
May 21, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Nice, a one-horned diarrhea splatter with a lazy eye, walking like an Egyptian. Cool!
May 21, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Dude, I can’t wait until WW VI: Revenge of Teh Suxx0r!
May 21, 2008 at 2:33 pm
My critter sux! I demand a recount of FL and MI!
May 21, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Cue the muted trumpet…
Wah. Wah. Waaaaahhh…
May 21, 2008 at 4:19 pm
BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Seriously, haven’t laughed this hard in at least 15 minutes.
May 21, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Here’s the real deal:
The embed reporters wouldn’t be available till after November, so the war had to be postponed. If there are no embeds, the war never happened. I mean, who really believes there was such a thing as the Spanish American War? Did you see the video? Was it featured on This Week At War? I thought not.
Epsum pro saltus.
May 21, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Mucho funny, curveball.
Israel unfit to be Prez of the USA? I guess that’s why they have to lobby so hard to make us do their sinister bidding.
I can’t wait to see what toy surprise avatar critter I get!
May 21, 2008 at 5:49 pm
A levitating Martian Xmas tree. Just what I wanted!
May 21, 2008 at 6:41 pm
No whammies, no whammies, no whammies, stop!
May 21, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Awesome. I’m like if Grimace was a Robeast.
May 21, 2008 at 9:31 pm
I’m just a mutant lemon.
May 22, 2008 at 7:20 am
Ha.
May 22, 2008 at 10:19 am
I’ll bite.
I *am* drunk, just so that’s clear.
May 22, 2008 at 10:24 am
Actually, from a code-implementation standpoint, I am always thrilled to see such unique functionality.
Like I said…
May 22, 2008 at 12:31 pm
“They will be emboldened and cheerful.”
Man, why do I even bother to read all these other sucky blogs?
Oh, that’s right. Because we live in an unjust world where the frequency of posting by The Editors does not achieve the levels I, personally, would approve of. Due, so I hear, to some fucking day-job, or somesuch ridiculous thing.
In a just world The Editors would own vast meadows chock-full of ponies that shit gold.
In a just world.
May 22, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Note to self: in the future, read the entire post — including “posted by” — before cmmenting.
OK, so in that same “just world” I mentioned, curv3ball would share, proportionally, in The Editors’ pony-bounty. Along with Sifu Tweety, of course (hey, where’s Sifu lately?).
When I’m a Mormon-god in Celestial Heaven that’s just the sort of planet I’m going to rule over, and you’re all invited.
May 23, 2008 at 1:13 pm
In a just world The Editors [and curv3ball] would own vast meadows chock-full of ponies that shit gold.
Friday afternoon, chock full of comedic goodness.
May 23, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Hey, what a handsome dog I am!
May 25, 2008 at 8:25 am
Juggernaut is an excellent choice of words.
May 25, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Shouldn’t that read, “confidence + legitimacy + Crimson Gem of Cyttorak = juggernaut”?
Yours,
ChristianPinko