The American Spectator

Taking any politician at face value poses dangers, as I’m sure Mr. Babbin knows well. I do not know whether Mr. Arafat meant what he said after Tuesday’s pool hall bombing in Israel, I only reported it. His condemnation of further terrorism is, after all, a public matter. So, of course, is his veracity and goodwill, or lack thereof.

Mr. Babbin reiterates his belief that negotiating with Arafat is delusional, because he is not the master of his fate. Without the presence of the “war-making” Arab nations(Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya) or the supposed moderates(Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan) any negotiation, he writes, is simply incapable of reaching any peace.

p>He then writes that the Arab nations are not allies, nor can they be looked to for help in these matters. With whom then does Mr. Babbin think negotiations should be conducted? br> — Paul Kellogg br> New York, NY /p>

Jed Babbin replies: Mr. Kellogg’s point about negotiations is premature. Peace is reached when people are ready for it, and negotiations before that time are pointless. When the Palestinians — and the Arab nations — declare: (1) that Israel has a right to exist; (2) an unconditional cease-fire; and (3) that the so-called moderate Arab nations will take responsibility for the peace, then and only then can negotiations actually begin. We should make it clear to those moderate nations that they are not only a part of the negotiations, but responsible for making and keeping the peace. Until they take this responsibility, I propose we follow the advice given by Henry Kissinger for situations like this: sit back and let them fight it out. Meanwhile, we need to get back to business and topple Saddam. The Israeli/Palestinian conflict is not the main event.

p> THEY ALL SOUND ALIKE br> Re: Enemy Central’s A Flavorful French Fish : /p> p>I couldn’t hold myself back. Keep your targets in sight, but I think it was Clemenceau [not DeGaulle], who said the U.S. was “the only case of a people who’d become decadent without ever going through the stage of being civilized.” Ecrasez la gauche, viva la USA.