Do Mr. Giuliani's comments on State of Palestine represent a strategic shift?

Reader comment on:
Giuliani Warns on PLO State
in response to reader comment: Giuliani Must Be Congratulated

Submitted by Wade C. Johnson, Aug 18, 2007 02:21

Thank-you for your comments Mr. Russell, and I agree with most everything you assert. It seems to me however that Ms. Rice has not been assigned a strategic role in this administration, at least not vis a vis the Israeli/Palestinian negotiations. It also seems to me that merely engaging this issue in the traditional sense (i.e. negotiations aimed at building confidence) does not necessarily make it a strategic objective. I'm sure you would agree that there may be specific, short term, tactical reasons for such engagement, and that as long as Mr. Giuliani subscribes to an ultimately two state solution, regardless of the conditions and concerns he has raised, he also may very well find it useful to continue the current dialogue. I've seen no evidence that the current administration is rushing toward the creation of a Palestinian state, rather that the current structure of dialogue is a useful tactic in an even larger conflict... a classic example of exploiting fissures in one's adversary (Fatah v. Hamas), and doing so in an almost completely cost and risk free way.

Thank-you for your consideration of these matters.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
Finally some straight talk on 'palestine'. The reward of statehood should come only after a period where the 'palestinians' show... [MORE]	Z. Cochrane	Aug 15, 2007 23:09
I don't support guliani, bu the has good common sense on this issue. [MORE]	Joseph Back	Aug 15, 2007 18:35
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It's about time a major US political leader stood up for Israel. Now, if only he would advocate confiscating Saudi... [MORE]	jdg	Aug 15, 2007 23:22
There is neither intelligence nor courage in the (yuk) Baker-Hamilton report. Nor is there any in the Bush/Rice approach which... [MORE]	Victor Galindo	Aug 15, 2007 14:56
I believe that he is the one candidate that will not let the State Dept tell him what to do... [MORE]	Dorothy Wachsstock	Aug 15, 2007 08:54
Mr. Giuliani's frank words (quite in opposition to Geo. Bush and C. Rice's unrealistic optimism) warning to go slow on... [MORE]	J.T. Russell	Aug 15, 2007 08:09
Thank-you for your comments Mr. Russell, and I agree with most everything you assert. It seems to me however that...	Wade C. Johnson	Aug 18, 2007 02:21
Mr. Giuliani has truth and advantage on his side. Since the Wretched Nixon bypassed the State Department and made Mr.... [MORE]	Claude Bogardus	Aug 15, 2007 08:04
I am still waiting for a candidate that will expose the myth of the so-called palestinian people. As much as... [MORE]	Chaya	Aug 15, 2007 08:00
I must respectfully disagree with the assertion that Palestinans in the occupied territories should be forced to emigrate or to... [MORE]	Wade C. Johnson	Aug 15, 2007 19:54
Wade, what is Saudi Arabia if not a religiously based state?? And this country is an ally of the United... [MORE]	Chaya	Aug 16, 2007 15:13
Hello Chaya... I appreciate your response. Saudi Arabia has an established state religion (like Israel), it is primarily a tribally based... [MORE]	Wade C. Johnson	Aug 17, 2007 01:51
Rudy Giuliani is the clearest and strongest in a field of excellent Republican candidates. Of course a Palestinian state should... [MORE]	Christopher Brooks	Aug 15, 2007 06:49