Go King!
Excuse the familiarity to royalty, but King Abdullah II of Jordan’s frank assessment of Secretary of State Rice’s latest visit to the region just begs a cheer.
Reports have it that Dr. Rice is pushing Israel hard to agree to withdraw from 95 percent of the West Bank. In exchange, she offers American “security commitments” and claims agreement from Palestinian National Authority President Abu Mazen to “end the conflict” and concede the Palestinian demand for the so-called “right of return.”
Excuse the familiarity to royalty, but King Abdullah II of Jordan’s frank assessment of Secretary of State Rice’s latest visit to the region just begs a cheer.
Reports have it that Dr. Rice is pushing Israel hard to agree to withdraw from 95 percent of the West Bank. In exchange, she offers American “security commitments” and claims agreement from Palestinian National Authority President Abu Mazen to “end the conflict” and concede the Palestinian demand for the so-called “right of return.”
According to Middle East Newsline (MENL), however, “Officials said the proposed U.S. package has been rejected by Abbas [Abu Mazen]. They said Abbas, who underwent a heart procedure, has threatened to quit rather than agree to Ms. Rice’s demands.” And, according to MENL, “Ms. Rice was said to have also been rebuffed by Jordan’s King Abdullah. Officials said Abdullah warned that Abbas would be killed within days of agreeing to the U.S. proposal, and the West Bank would be taken over by Hamas.”
Could there be a better synopsis of the situation? Is there any way an American Secretary of State can fail to understand the potential for disaster? Abu Mazen’s hold on power and his life are not tied to the further removal of Israeli checkpoints or quality-of-life issues for the Palestinian people. His future is directly tied to maintaining the Palestinian hard line. He is not empowered to give up the “right or return” on behalf of other Palestinians or decide to “end the conflict.” He has no control of Gaza and not much in the West Bank (sorry, Gen. Dayton). A Hamas ouster of Abu Mazen/Fatah – short work if the IDF leaves the territories – would directly threaten Jordan, one of our best regional allies. The Palestinian terrorist/liberationist movement fully intends to “liberate” Jordan from Hashemite rule. The fact that Hamas is supported by Iran is a further threat to Sunni, moderate, pro-Western Jordan.
His Majesty understands the region; Dr. Rice does not.
Which brings up those American “security commitments.” JINSA totally, completely and utterly opposes substituting American “security commitments” for the right and obligation of a sovereign state to secure itself and its people. An agreement Israel enters with the Palestinians, the Syrians or anyone else should be fully enforceable and manageable by the parties involved. Monitoring an agreed-upon peace by outsiders might work in the vast spaces of the Sinai Desert, but the failures of UNIFIL in Lebanon should make the United States wary of entangling itself in disputed and heavily populated territories and make Israel wary of the same thing.
And, do those “security commitments” extend to Jordan? Are we offering the King American troops on his western border to complement those on his east? Why should he find that comforting?
The administration is seeking its legacy in the wrong place (the Secretary should be camped out in Baghdad, not Jerusalem), and balancing a very bad idea on two very weak reeds. King Abdullah, it appears, is calling the straight shot. Go King!