I don't know what to think about this...

Sorry for the one liner.

I’m glad he’s “prepared”. Now lets see if he actually does something.

Yes it is time to stop the madness and start somewhere, because the people legitimitely chose hamas to be the majority government despite what israel or the u.s. may have hoped to materialize, one root of the problem in recent years is the reversal of diplomacy and if not actually talking getting the parties together, I mean if the missiles were not being fired during the ceasfire which it is documented they were not, I don't really care how many were fired before that, it is clear that Hamas, the government , not the terrorists associating themselves with HAMAS were willing to abide by the ceasefire to possibly start building some sort of preliminary blocks towards peace, much debate is out there and many facts pointing away from HAMAS as breaking the ceasefire in the first place.

Obama already telegraphed his stance and said it many times that he is interested in a solution and he is going to talk to both sides, no matter the previous administration's made up rules that have sharply contrasted the country's previous policies of if not anything else, another use for Camp David, this is a much more civilized approach than dropping bombs on civilians and mashing up and maiming hundreds of innocent children that had no choice in the world and hell they were born into.

I saw some reports and pictures of Israelis that go to a hill adjacent to the border of Gaza and they are celebrating and clapping as the bombs drop, and the mushroom clouds of smoke rise above the skyline of the runins of Gaza, that to me says a lot about the mentality of both sides and that a 3rd party is needed to intervene in this nonsense.

"Obama will be popular." the dude already is... soon if u say anything to disrespect him you will be called a racist in some places its probly already like that...about this talking to hamas i dont know what to think he may do more harm than good but i dunno


-peace

[edit on 8-1-2009 by new world disorder]

I for one believe it is a good idea for Obama to open channels of dialog . If any good comes of it will remain to be seen . The diplomatic channels should be explored more in this day and age .

Heck police will even open dialog with kidnappers or criminals holding hostages .

In any negotiations if there is acceptable concessions on both sides it could work out for the better for all involved. All the friction between Hamas and Israel the truce or peace process has to be mediated from 3rd parties. Adding USA , Arab countries and other IN members may be some good might come of it . Obama might bring some USA weight to help swing a accord of some kind .

A situation like this could be a defining moment for Hamas . They could transform them selves from a radical terrorist organization to a political organization that benefits the Palestinian people instead of harming them .

Good luck they gonna need it .

He isn't even President yet!

Great move Mr. Barack Obama! Lets acknowledge this savage organization which openly advocates the destruction of Israel and all other "non-Muslims".

Perhaps, tomorrow, you can have tea with Mr. Ahmadinejad and next week share a Cerveza with Mr. Hugo Chavez.

This is just the beginning of Mr. Obama's "Hugs for Guns" foreign policy. Yup! America's castration begins!

I don't want to be the fly in the ointment, but while the hand of friendship is being extended, what is hiding behind the back in his other hand?

always remember that the best way to decieve is to first gain trust.

Originally posted by munkey66
I don't want to be the fly in the ointment, but while the hand of friendship is being extended, what is hiding behind the back in his other hand?

I'd hope it was a gun, but its probably a rose. The best way to show a terrorist organization that you mean business is to SAY IT WITH FLOWERS!

I think it's great that Obama wants to talk with everyone because surely nobody else has thought of this.. This idea is fiercely groundbreaking and will change everything, yay lets talk with people and all shall be forgiven..

Obama can go talk with Hamas all he wants to. Do you really think him talking with Hamas leaders is going to cleanse their minds of the desire to wipe Isreal off the face of the Earth? Even if he were to give Hamas a bailout package (far-fetched idea) they would turn around and spend it on rockets, maybe nuclear-tipped ones.

But okay, I say let it happen, just so the liberals in the country can no longer say "Talking has never been done! Give peaceful negotiation a chance!" Then maybe some of those rosie "peace-man" hippie libs will realize that Hamas understands only one thing, kill or be killed.

I hope something will come of this.


Military action will not work.

They MUST talk.

Originally posted by deltaboy
Sometimes appeasement may work in your favor.

Like it did for Chamberlain in WWII?

its a good thing to work with Islamic freedom fighters.

They aren't freedom fighter. They are murderous terrorists who use their own people as human shields and who hide behind civilian infrastructure.

Breaking from the Bush doctrine is great news! Abandoning Bush's attitude of "If we don't acknowledge you, you don't exist" is the best thing I've heard in a while! They DO exist and have shown that they exist. Ignoring them has only made it worse.

It's really a CHANGE from Bush's ineffective and counter-productive "foreign policy" of sticking his head in the sand or childishly covering his eyes because he's scared of the monster under his bed.

Obama has simply signaled his intention to open up talks with Hamas, probably through lower-level diplomatic emissaries, not in person. That's a far cry from handing them roses or a free pass to keep sending missiles into Israel. It's not something entirely new. Clinton tried to negotiate with Israel and the Palestinians and didn't have much success but he did try. So did Carter.

Many countries, both Arab and western, have been initiating talks with Hamas, mainly through the U.N., and they haven't had much success. Hamas won't negotiate at this point.

I think the Bush policy of not even speaking to Hamas hasn't done any good, and probably a lot of harm. Ignoring a problem doesn't make it go away, and treating people like they don't even matter enough to speak with them is simply demeaning and is about 100% sure to arouse further anger. The U.S. has just abstained from voting on a new UN resolution for a cease-fire in Gaza. I think much of our foreign policy needs changing.

Obama has made it perfectly clear that he considers Israel one of the U.S.'s strongest allies and he has not given any indication that he will change his position on that. It's not appeasement he's after, just better communication, something that's been sorely lacking in our relations with middle eastern nations.

You guys should get real, cia will always be talking to hamas, some of you still do not understand that they are in all countries, and all governments.

Nothing will change with obama, as cia already talks with them.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
Breaking from the Bush doctrine is great news! Abandoning Bush's attitude of "If we don't acknowledge you, you don't exist" is the best thing I've heard in a while! They DO exist and have shown that they exist. Ignoring them has only made it worse.

It's really a CHANGE from Bush's ineffective and counter-productive "foreign policy" of sticking his head in the sand or childishly covering his eyes because he's scared of the monster under his bed.

BH, you keep licking Obama's butt with every thread, but you aren't commenting on the thread content. Okay, yes, we know that Obama is doing things different than Bush already. Are you going to remind us in each post or do you really need that much self reassurance?

What you've ignored is whether diplomacy will actually work with a government that has thought about nothing but the eradication of Israel since day ONE. Yes, it's different, but that doesn't mean it's going to SQUAT. In fact, it might even make the situation worse than it is now. What if Hamas leaders view U.S. calls for diplomacy as nothing more than audacious preaching from Israel's principal ally? What if they are offended by it? Hamas HAD a chance for peace but instead they spent their money on weapons of war instead of infrastructure.

Originally posted by sos37
BH, you keep licking Obama's butt with every thread, but you aren't commenting on the thread content.

You expect me to respond to that?

I did comment on the thread content. Your accusation is entirely false. If you want to know what I think further, you can ask me without the insults.