Arthur, Ed & Harry: Actually, I made a joke several days ago about giving Sharon a one-way ticket to an apple orchard in Argentina, and why not send Bush away, also? Devorah in Haifa was amused, but no one seriously recommended that the state of Israel be relocated. Now criticizing the UK and other UN allies - after WW2 in the way they went about setting up the Israeli territory - that is another matter, which we've touched on before.
I agree that there are no guarantees, but not much has been accomplished in the I-P situation without great risk and leadership. My kitchen table proposition was about doing something different to go around the impasse that has become entrenched. Anything that follows radical change on either side is bound to come with personal danger and risk. But it sure beats the lack of leadership and vision these two old soldiers display today. There needs to be a little imagination, a little inspiration. That tired old eye-for-an-eye stuff has got to go. It's killing ceaselessly and often mindlessly and wearing down the survivors. Oh, what is that old joke about it? What do you get with an eye-for-an-eye? A lot of black eyes. Israel would be much better off without the Old Lion, someone who does not have as many grudges to nurse and reputation to redeem from his past history. Both nations deserve better and I think new leadership is long overdue. I didn't make up a fun playbook for the Palestinians because Harry didn't challenge me to, wise that he is, and I couldn't "game" such a scenario. I have long followed the Israel scene (old romance as well as history buff), and only in the past four or five years cast my eye on Palestinian issues, learning a lot of background and debate on PBS Newshour from the academics and experts who regularly appear there in point-counterpoint panel discussions. So far, no one has "gamed" any corrections or improvements to mine, just mentioning the same tired argument about the bad guy at the other end of the table. Isn't that part of the stalemate? Thanks, Mike. Play Ball! - Karen
