[New York Times] Helene Cooper - The announcement that Israel has entered into comprehensive peace talks with Syria is at odds with the course counseled by the Bush administration, which initially opposed such talks in private conversations with Israelis, according to Israeli and American officials. A week ago, President Bush delivered a speech to the Israeli Parliament likening attempts to "negotiate with the terrorists and radicals" to appeasement before World War II. While Mr. Bush and his advisers have repeatedly scorned the idea of talking to enemies without first getting preconditions met, administration policy over the last seven years has been far more nuanced. In fact, the Bush administration has shown a sliding definition of just when it is beneficial to talk to whom.
2008-05-22 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive