US Congressmen Warn Palestine: Don't Hold Fair Elections

Sinn Fein started as an intolerant group who had no intention of participating in any sort of democracy, they simply wanted a legitimate front to distract people.

If Hamas joins the political process they will encounter the realities of politics, the need to compromise and be more tolerant. It wouldnt happen over night but Hamas could move down the same path as Sinn Fein, who have just announced the disarming of the IRA and the end to violence.

Originally posted by Uncle Joe
By letting Hamas have a say in the politics you can drag them along a legitimate path, the way Sinn Fein did for the IRA. As well as setting an example of proper deomocracy.

Hamas is a powerful force in the region and by excluding them from politics you ask them to carry on atacking rather than try and thrash out a compromise at the negotiating table.

Sinn Fein was a political party with elected members of parliament (albeit non-sitting MPs like Gerry Adams) while the IRA was bombing Northern Ireland and the mainland. Being a part of the legitimate political process does not necessarily equate to reducing terrorist activities.

Arguably the main reason why the IRA has disarmed is because it has suffered from 9/11 - its income source from the US has dried up because of the focus on 'terrorism' stateside.

Moreover, the British/Irish governments have negotiated with the IRA/Ulster terrorists groups to reach a settlement. This has taken many years and illustrates the futility of the rhetoric of a 'war on terrorism' and the no concessions to terrorists policy.

I agree that Hamas is a major political force whether you like it or not and they have to be included in discussions.

What they're doing is creating the same kind of watered down democracy over there like they do here. But they see hamas as a terrorist group, and if they run in the pa elections more terrorists are going to be bred, that is their worry. Hamas wouldn't be more tolerant if they entered the political scene, it would give them more power to carry out their agenda, they need to be cut off from power and cut off from resources or make it more difficult to acquire them, when you deal w/ a terror group you don't want them in power, look at the taliban and look at the baathists. they will abuse their power, and they will abuse innocent people to get them to adhere to their kind of authority. They don't have any democratic ideas running through their heads. I'll bet my coffee money on that one.

While it may be similar to the nazi vichy french, current day opposition is violent and full of murderer's towards innocent civilian's. nazi opposition was defenseless.


[edit on 24-10-2005 by TrueLies]

thank you riwka for denying the ignorant opinions and rumor mongering and replacing them proven facts.

you just got my way above top secret vote.

Israel Drops Its Hamas Vote Ban Proposal


Israel has pulled back from a policy opposing the participation of Hamas in January's Palestinian elections.

Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said it was not in Israel's interest to oppose Hamas' participation.

In September, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said that his government would hinder voting in the West Bank if Hamas candidates stood in the election.

The largest and most popular militant group, Hamas has not previously contested parliamentary elections.

In recent municipal elections, it has emerged as a serious challenger to the mainstream Fatah movement of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Now that the Israelies have dropped their opposition maybe the US representatives should too.

You can't have democracy, and keep major political parties out of government.