My problem with this Hillary Clinton statement in Palestine:

[marmar]

from the NY Times:


RAMALLAH, West Bank — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, on her first visit to the West Bank since taking office, pledged support Wednesday for the Palestinian Authority as “the only legitimate government of the Palestinian people.”

At a news conference with President Mahmoud Abbas, Mrs. Clinton called Mr. Abbas’s administration “the partner on the road to a comprehensive peace which includes a two-state solution.”

Mrs. Clinton has used her brief, opening foray into Middle East diplomacy to signal a new direction, saying on Tuesday that the Obama administration will send two senior officials to Syria this weekend to begin discussions with the government.

The overture suggests how the Obama administration intends to tackle three interlocking challenges in the Middle East: the nuclear threat posed by Iran; long-simmering tensions between Israel and Syria; and the grinding conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Syria, regional experts say, could be the key to alleviating all three. ........(more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/washington/05diplo.html?_r=1&hp)

You might despise Hamas. They might, in fact, be a despicable organization. But if they were chosen by Palestinians to represent them, how does the U.S. get to decide that they're not a "legitimate" government of the people who elected them?
This country is still afflicted with imperial hubris.

[Captain Hilts]

1. I agree. I wonder why that is our policy.

PA got dumped because they blew their best chance at peace in summer of 2000 with Bubba and hid the money we gave them in Swiss bank accounts. All politics being local, the folks voted the corrupt bums 'out'.

That said, I wonder if our government is aware of the degree to which Hamas is not able to run anything or generate loyalty among its people. If they are not an effective govt., are they a govt.? I'm just thinking out loud.

[slipslidingaway]

2. K&R n/t

[lsewpershad]

3. Just wondering

how would our SOS and govt feel if another govt decides it cannot and will not recognize or deal with the Obama govt but some other entity. Like I said, just wondering.

[irislake]

4. Regime change without the bombs?

Ooops -- and they were bombed --- using U.S. weapons and with U.S. support.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Well, we sure don't want the Palestinians to have a say in their fate.

As usual.

[soothsayer]

6. elections, e-shmections