Why Not Send in Bill Clinton?

“It seems as if Bush thought that by turning his back on the Palestinian/Israeli problem, he could distance himself from Clinton’s recent efforts and gain points among some here at home. We have seen just how poorly he misjudged the situation and how it has continued to deteriorate, threatening his ‘war on terrorism’ and other US goals in the region.

His envoy, Anthony Zinni, was ineffective in bringing about a lessening of violence. While I have great respect for Colin Powell, I fear that he will meet with little success based upon his cool reception from Arab leaders in the first few days of his mission and the Sharon government’s continued defiance of US calls to withdraw.

Though he failed to achieve all of his goals in the conflict and leave the legacy he longed for, Clinton did bring the parties closer to a meaningful peace agreement than ever before and gained a great deal of knowledge about the causes of the conflict and good will among the players. He provided bold involvement and developed a situation for effective dialogue.

Clinton’s experience is clearly needed. I propose that Bush call Powell home and send Clinton in his place. He would bring a level of credibility to the negotiations lacking in this administration which has ties to the oil industry, the Saudis and is seen in some parts as eager to settle a score with Saddam Hussein. If Clinton’s mission should fail, it would provide the Bush administration with an accepted scapegoat and vindicate his earlier hands-off policy. It seems that Bush would risk very little political capital and could gain a great deal if a novel bi-partisan effort should succeed in bringing a lasting peace.”

“But, but, I pointed my finger like I really meant it!”

“It would certainly give everyone a serious case of political whiplash. Perhaps they could make some progress before the shock wore off completely.”

“Send him in? How? With explosives strapped on? I'm not sure what you mean.”

“No president has come even close to bringing peace to the middle east...none ever will...Israel needs to be able to handle their own terrorist problems, just as we are dealing with our own...”

“clinton would definitely volunteer to go if he heard there are more 17 year old girls as suicide bombers. He would personally give each one an 'oral' interview.”

“Anwar Sadat was murdered for making peace with Menachem Begin about 25 years ago.

An American president had something to do with that.

For all of you too young to remember, that was Egypt and Israel, respectively.”

“and the President was Jimmy Carter, who has maitained the Carter Center which is devoted to pursuing peace programs at home and abroad.”

“Yeah gordon, I'm sure Clinton would see that as a waste of perfectly good nookie.”

“No Tom, only beret-wearing Jewish girls.”

“I think it's a good idea. To quote the movie WarGames "Hell, I'd piss on a sparkplug if I thought it would work!". I don't think it will happen though... each of the 2 political parties in the U.S. with any pull have no interest in doing anything unless it glorifies their party.”

“If we want this issue resolved there is only one man for the job.

Marvin Gardens”

“bacpac

I think you maybe on to something there!”

“Marvin is currently awaiting W's call. Please don't call him on the radio, though.”

“Bill's ready for the call! Now that Powell is coming home empty handed its time to send someone with the proven leadership ability and tenacity this job requires.



April 13, 2002

THE FORMER PRESIDENT
Clinton Says Leaders' Obstinacy Is Harming Mideast's Children
By REUTERS

WASHINGTON, April 12 (Reuters) — Former President Bill Clinton has said he is "thrilled" that Secretary of State Colin L. Powell is in Israel, but criticized Yasir Arafat and Ariel Sharon for failing to reach an accord.

"The bullheaded leaders' inability to make peace is resulting in the slaughter of their young people," Mr. Clinton said, noting that half the 2,000 people killed in the last 19 months of violence were children. Mr. Clinton, who was intimately involved in earlier peace talks, added, "I do not believe there is any way they can work this out without the involvement of the United States."

In remarks late Thursday after a dinner by the National Jewish Democratic Council, he said a cease-fire would be unsustainable without actions on the ground by Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

"There cannot be a cease-fire without a withdrawal," Mr. Clinton said, referring to Israel's two-week-old military operation in Palestinian cities that was a response to suicide bombings against Israelis.

Mr. Clinton added that a withdrawal alone would not maintain a cease-fire. Saying he knew of no one who could succeed Mr. Arafat as Palestinian leader, Mr. Clinton said Mr. Arafat had to do more to prevent attacks against Israeli civilians. "Arafat," he said, "must do everything to make it work."

When he was president, Mr. Clinton met Mr. Arafat more frequently than any other American leader.

Mr. Clinton said that Washington would most likely need to send troops to guarantee a peace accord and that only the United States would be trusted to lead such a force, because it is the "only nation outside the region that has historically made it absolutely clear that our support for Israel's existence is unequivocal."

To make it clear that Washington is an honest broker, Mr. Clinton added, "the Arabs should know that we care just as much about Palestinian kids as Israeli kids."

Recalling the failed Camp David talks between Israel and the Palestinians, Mr. Clinton said Mr. Arafat had "made a mistake not to take the peace deal in July 2000 and the other offered in January of 2001."

Saying that now was not the time to look at past mistakes, he called on the leaders to think about the future of their nations' children.

From: ”

“Article in April 12 edition of USA Today:

A USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll shows Democrats who want Gore to run again in 2004 tend to be less educated and lower income. 51% of those with no college education wnat him to run compared with 30% of college graduates. Gore's popularity has dropped 30 points among the well-educated.”

“But the antiperspirant makers must love him.”

“Yeah.

Just the thought of him in the White House makes most people break out in a sweat.”

“What did I do wrong here? I thought this was set up to generate a firestorm but I barely got a puff of smoke. Could you give me a few pointers Spock... anyone?”

“Everyone knows you're right Violin... America is currently paying Iraq and Saudi Arabia which in turn finances terrorism against us and others AND then calling people who support Iraq are against us?? What a moron... Clinton was much more effective in the middle east... he only missed OBL with a missle... GW missed the whole Taliban hierarchy with the greatest military the world has ever known”

“I am saving all of my controversial posts for the "Why Democrat?" thread. Arclite gives me plenty of ammunition on that one.”

“I'd rather send Ronald McDonald.”

“I want to stop sending 3 Billion dollars to Israel every year. I want to stop sending millions to the Palestinians.

I think I could improve the mid-east crisis with a couple accountants and some cancelled checks.”

“I saw on another thread where nowslimmer referred to you as Violet. Will that get some controversy going?
You might ask Arc for some pointers. He has just enough intelligence to be dangerous. (That's a joke, son, a joke!)
Could it be that the Clinton bashing is about to end? I figured the right wing would flog him until they had to dig him up from the grave. I guess you never can tell. At least we all agree that it really is all his fault.”

“It's gotten a lot quieter about OBL lately... no more "He could have got him but blew it, I can't believe he just launched missles at him, now Bush is doing it right!" Bush sent the best military in the history of the world and looks like we missed him”

“I think Bush did kill him. I don't know if a US bomb killed him or if his kidneys did, but I think he is dead.

If he was alive we would have heard from him. Someone would have heard from him.”

“Bacpac would have heard from him”

“LMAO @ Dun......”

“Hey, who needs Bubba when you've got Jesse! I hear Reverand Jackson is headed to the West Bank next week.”

“Does Jesse have any credibility left? Who is sending him there? If he even manages to be taken seriously, I will give him a lot of credit. Will anyone even want to meet with him?”

“Dun, I think, as usual, Jesse is sending himself.”

“Why Jesse,when we have King Rodney?”

“Sorry for not biting Viol man, I guess I am just bored with Billy Boy.”

“Billy was a damn good president considering that he we was a weaseling lying slut.”

“According to the Associated Press Reps. Lois Capps, D-Calif., and Jim Leach, R-Iowa, said they were circulating a letter to House members recommending that former presidents Bush, Carter and Clinton lead a peace mission to the Middle East. "These are extraordinary times that demand swift and creative action," Capps said.”

“Why not send them all? Have you seen the SNL animated feature with the "Ex-Presidents"? Pretty funny.”

“If that would work, I would love to see Bush, Clinton, and Carter go over. They would have to have the backing of all the current policy makers to agree that what they negotiated would stick.”

“Clinton offered his services... AND the GAO released that the Clinton staff did 14,000 in damage to the offices when they left! Day-um! I'm still laughing about stealing the 'w''s from all the keyboards!”

“Did we give the Clinton's their security deposit back?”

“it happens at the changing of EVERY administration... but of course if there is any reason to go after Bill they will... I don't know what it is about the guy (yes he's sleazy, he is a politician) but he can't break wind without someone going after him for it”

“I thought only backpackers did that.”

“with all the McD's that dude eats you just gotta know that guy can clear a room...

You think GW ever gave Laura a dutchoven?”

“Clinton is a scumbag.

Pardon me? No, pardon $you$”

“Reagan was a scumbag (although he never cheated on his wife)

GHW Bush was a scumbag

Clinton was a scumbag

GW Bush is a scumbag

So what... it takes a little scuzziness to make it in politics now a days...”

“Please support your claims?

What makes President Ronald Reagan a scumbag?

What makes President George Hubert Bush a scumbag?

What makes President George Walker Bush a scumbag?”

“Hmmm..... Let my try that one bacpac. Because they weren't ineffectual idealists?”

“Clearly donman is an ineffectual idealist.

Case closed.”

“Now, let's not get personal.”

“How about they were all republicans?


Of course, clinton was a republican that called himself a democrat, to be contrasted with Colin Powell, who is a democrat that calls himself a republican.

Jimmy Carter, democrat, was more politically conservative than Bush I, republican. So the repubs hate Carter and love Bush because....?

So partisan politics is more about labels people hang on themselves than actual ideologies?”

“Ronald Reagan - Iran Contra/ignoring the AIDS epidemic

George HW Bush - Cheated on his wife/cheated on his taxes. Lied to the American people and raised the taxes. Helped put Manuel Noriega in power, the night that we went into Panama Noriega called "someone" in the White House...

George W Bush - AWOL for 18 mos/perjured himself as Gov of Texas (never tried). NEVER performed community service for his DUI. Couple more of them in there too...”