What Clout?
One of the reasons people have paid so much attention to the Saudi "peace proposal" is that the Saudis are looked upon by the west as among the ostensible leaders of the Arab League along with Egypt. That's the west's perspective and the Saudi's deftly exploited that view. As STRATFOR points out, however, several Arab leaders, including heavy hitter Mubarak, are not attending the summit in Beirut. Arafat has also said he won't go because he knows he'll never be let back into Israel. So my question is, why continue to pursue the Saudi idea when it's clear they don't have the clout to persuade the Arab leaders to even discuss the idea? If we know Israel's neighbors don't take the proposal seriously, and Arafat doesn't either, why continue to attempt to broker such a peace? It's folly. Also, are we so foolish as to think that Saddam will allow peace in Israel if we continue to push for that peace prior to invading Iraq?
- posted by levinson @ 3/26/2002 01:06:00 PM