Quote:
Originally posted by bilmore
As to Clinton, I'm not sure what he really accomplished, or how his influence led us to this day. Good intentions, huge ambitions, but, in the end, sort of ineffectual, at least in this arena.
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The huge effort and negotiations at the end of his administration (and in the negotiations at Sharm el Sheikh(?) just as the Bush administration was transitioning in) were grand failures which were essential in creating the conditions that ultimately lead to this day. This wasn't some brilliant, intentional plan, but it was still essential to laying the groundwork.
Many of these things were happening at the same time, but remember how Israeli PM Barak was offering the Palestinians about 90% of what they sought, and Arafat still did not or could not accept (said he'd be killed)? Those negotiations created huge expectations, and their failure led many more Israelis to believe that a negotiated peace with the Palestinians was not possible. The failure also lead to increased violence by the Palestinians. About this same time, Sharon goes on his little trip to the Mount, sparking the beginning of the al-Aqsa intifada. So, Sharon is elected -- probably wouldn't have happened otherwise.
It was only after this last extended round of killing and suffering that enough Palestinians and their leaders came to believe that violence wasn't going to get them there, that the al-Aqsa intifada had been a huge mistake, and that the PA was a piece of crap and democratic elections were essential. Sometimes failures are necessary to create the conditions for success.
S_A_M
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