- Bang

The rest of your post is right on and I agree with you.

• Greater pluralism and more responsive political systems in Muslim majority nations would alleviate some of the grievances jihadists exploit. Over time, such progress, together with sustained, multifaceted programs targeting the vulnerabilities of the jihadist movement and continued pressure on al-Qa’ida, could erode support for the jihadists.

In regards to the leak in the NYT, amazing that this little tidbit of information didn’t make the front page.

I would like to comment on Ted Kennedy, Democratic lawmakers and the political games they are playing with our lives. To suggest that the “entire report” be declassified, in an political attempt to cast shadows on the parts that have been released, bring up a couple issues.

One: The report would not have been classified to begin with if everything in the report could be released.

Second: Most important in my mind is that, suggesting that the entire report be released, knowing that doing so would put our sources, our ability to collect sensitive intelligence, and our country at risk, shows a distinctive distain of the worth of American lives in relation to the importance of political gain.

It also shows that Ted Kennedy and the democratic lawmakers, are proving once again that they cannot be trusted with the security of our country. It is said that they are weak on terror, because they are!

Neither we nor Israel can provide for Palestinian state unilaterally. When Arafat was offered 97% of what he wanted but turned it down it was because of the pressure close to him to refuse the deal. They are not willing to recognize Israel as a state. They want it wiped off the map. They have STATED this Daniel. So you can “act” like neither Republicans or Democrats are good enough for you and be all “knowledgeable” but it is entirely a moot point for everyone here. Palestinians just simply need to respect Israel’s right to exist and work with Israel on a 2 state solution. Teaching their kindergarteners such hate and that becoming a martyr with bombs strapped to your chest is the opposite of the methods they should be using. Israel children are not taught that way. They have to live next to such maniacs with a large portion of government revenues going towards Defense.

I appluad Bill Clinton and Bush’s efforts towards the Middle East problem but you can’t applly a solution until you recognize the problem. Do you Daniel?

You also seem to think that staying the course is not the answer, but pulling out isn’t either. So, again, where does that leave us?

Not trying to be sarcastic, but it doesn’t seem that you have left many options.

The DNI has just released the declassified key judgments of the National Intelligence Estimate. You can download the .pdf document by clicking here. I’ll have thoughts later. Update: The level of distortion by the media of NIE’s key judgments is…

I contend that the Iraqi conflict, as well as the prevailing Middle East tensions, will be lessened in equal proportion to the success we achieve in providing for a Palestinian state. Given that the NIE assessment posits that, “If democratic reform efforts in Muslim majority nations progress over the next five years, political participation probably would drive a wedge between intransigent extremists and groups willing to use the political process to achieve their local objectives”, then it would be reasonable to conclude that any progress with the Palestinian issue will greatly enhance the speculative potentiality of the NIE report. Absent the Palestinian effort, I’m of the opinion that the NIE timeframe is overly optimistic and dependent upon a relatively static progression without the prevalence of unforeseen events and escalations…which seems unlikely at best.

Frankly, I doubt that the existing Republican approach or the alternative of withdrawal supported by a number Democrats will serve to alleviate the existing conditions and bring relative stability to the troubled region. Neither approach has the wherewithal to alter the prevailing sentiment. Conversely, a voluntary effort that would demonstrate our ability to discern the profound importance of a successful Palestinian state would, in my opinion, yield exponential goodwill. Given the current conditions, such an effort has little risk.

Read more here:

LINK