Clayton Swisher From Doha: How They See It In The Desert
This is a fine piece by my friend, Clayton Swisher, who is now an Al Jazeera correspondent in Doha.
TPM readers know that I'm always promoting Clay's book, The Truth About Camp David. Clay's book offers the best explanation I've seen as to why the Camp David Summit of 2000 failed (no, it was not because Arafat said "no" to Barak's "generous offer."
Clay knows better. Although only 24 at the time, he was at Camp David, got to know all thew players, and interviewed them all for his book.
In his Nation piece today, Swisher describes how some young Arabs he knows in Qatar feel about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, President Obama, the Arab Initiative and the state of the world. I came away thinking that, under Obama, we have a chance to win these people over but, without radical change, we will blow the opportunity.
Of course, I've learned one thing over the past few years. Trust Obama. He knows what he's doing.
We will see if Obama knows what he is doing.
There is now a full court press to tar Chas Freeman. This is coming from the usual suspects including Schumer of NY.
Freeman is being accused of suspicious ties to the Saudis. The real reason is that he does not genuflex to Israel.
And then you have the strange case of Dennis Ross.
Oh the irony!
March 5, 2009 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
So much for that Israeli-Saudi "alliance" of moderates that we were told exists. Notice that Saudi has been pushing Arab reconciliation recently.....so they are back to being evil.
P.S. Give Saudi women drivers licences. Women drive cars in Iran.
March 5, 2009 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
M.J., Will it shake your trust in Obama if he doesn't go to bat for Freeman? (Genuine question, not sarcasm - my skepticism re Obama varies from day to day.)
March 5, 2009 4:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
RE: "He knows what he's doing."
ME: I hope you're right. I'm a pessimist by nature, but I'm trying real hard to be cautiously optimistic.
March 5, 2009 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
MJ, did you see the copy of the actual IG response letter itself?
It's rather anti-climatic. Here's the body text:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0309/IG_promises_Freeman_inquiry.html?showall
Have no idea what's typical in a case like this (perhaps the IG could have simply remained silent), but the letter hardly seems to represent -- as Eli Lake's piece would have it -- a formal decision by the IG to launch an investigation on Freeman. Indeed, to me it reads much more like a basic perfunctory acknowledgment of receipt letter, withholding any decision one way or the other.
Just a thought, but might the anti-Freeman folks not be trying to create the apperance of a momentum that in fact does not exist at all?
Would not be the first time.
March 5, 2009 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
While it's nice to sip tea with the Royals, how many Arab Royals feel incensed or desperate enough to join an al qaeda franchise. Sure the uber rich in the Area fund al qaeda, but sure don't put their ass on the line. Until the US becomes not only an honest broker between Israel and Palestine, but starts doling out big bucks to the poor, gets an effective and true PR program and stops backing regional despots, will we see any change from the status quo, either in Palestine or world terrorism.
March 5, 2009 5:34 PM | Reply | Permalink