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Deconstructing Baker

(Jerusalem Post) Editorial - James A. Baker III provided his recommendations on how to confont Iraq in an August 25 New York Times column, The Right Way to Change a Regime Baker argued: "We should frankly recognize that our problem in accomplishing regime change in Iraq is made more difficult by the way our policy on the Arab-Israeli dispute is perceived around the world....We cannot allow our policy toward Iraq to be linked to the Arab-Israeli dispute, as Saddam Hussein will cynically demand, just as he did in 1990 and 1991. But to avoid that, we need to move affirmatively, aggressively, and in a fair and balanced way to implement the president's vision for a settlement of the Arab-Israeli dispute, as laid out in his June speech. That means, of course, reform by Palestinians and an end to terror tactics. But it also means withdrawal by Israeli forces to positions occupied before September 2000 and an immediate end to settlement activity." Let's see if we've got this straight. In order to avoid any effort at "linkage," there must be linkage. So as not to fall into Saddam Hussein's trap, the U.S. must fall into the trap. Tying a prospective war against Iraq with a resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the U.S. would only encourage Palestinian terrorism, since the continuance of the crisis would mean delaying a U.S.attack. Arab radicalism, not Israeli actions, is the source of aggression and instability in the Middle East.
2002-08-27 00:00:00
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