Friday February 4, 2005

I've Been Thinking:

It is going to be busy next week in the Middle East.
Condi Rice will be on her first official Secretary of State visit to the region.
Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinians and Israel will be meeting in the glorious Red Sea resort of Sharm a Sheikh participating in a Peace Summit.

Rice should not attend this Summit even if invited.

Reason #1 The US must let the parties in the region discuss these issues on their own.

Reason #2 The people on the street in the region need to feel that discussions are not being forced by the US or by other external and world pressures.

Reason #3 It is very important that Egypt be seen as host and in charge.

Reason #4 Egypt and Jordan are jockeying for control in the Arab world. They will be working together to help spearhead a pro-Western perspective.

Reason #5 It is essential to side with Egypt and Jordan and not Saudi Arabia, the other power in the Mid East. Saudi Arabia represents pro Islamic forces often contrary to the West.

The US and specifically Condi Rice will get reports from all the parties.
Those reports and their emphasis will be a very import vehicle for analysis.