Durban II Dollars-for-Hate at the UN; Wait-and-See at the U.S. State Department
March 10th, 2008 - 7:08 pm
Surely if Libya, Iran, Pakistan, Cuba, Russia and pals want to organize a global mega-conference dedicated to fueling hatred of Jews, Israel and America, the United Nations would refuse to host and pay for it? Surely, at the very least, the Bush administration would categorically refuse to attend?
Think again. Canada gets it, and does the right thing. Condi Rice doesn’t. More in my column in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer.
I think it is not too strong an observation to say that Secretary Rice’s inaction in the matter of Durban II is both disappointing (alright, I think it’s outrageous), and, on its face, a cause for some mystification. Why isn’t the Secretary of State of the United States leading the charge against the hate mongering of the Durban conferences? Why isn’t she leaping to the defense of Israel, our own country, and the cause of true human rights everywhere? Why hasn’t she told the Durban II planners to take a hike? Why this incredibly passive response? One paramount reason comes to mind.
Our esteemed Secretary of State has thrown reality, caution, and any semblance of principle to the winds in her headlong plunge toward the formation of a Palestinian state at all costs. It will do her future reputation no good that she has ignored all reality on the ground. Nor further that she has swallowed whole the deeply flawed Saudi/arabist/Baker/Brzezinski notion that the troublesome Israelis being the cause of all Middle East unrest (just ask Mahmoud Ahmadinejad), the imposition of a Palestinian state is all that is required for beatific peace to reign in the whole region. Her actions show us that the mirage of this “grand bargain” is the only reality she accepts. Anything that contradicts this delusional view is swept aside with varying degrees of irritation, and all related matters are dealt with from this perspective.
Thus, we arrive at Secretary Rice’s strange dreamland disconnect in her handling of the Durban II matter. The Canadian government, possessed evidently of a more clear-eyed view of the matter, voted with their feet immediately, and told the UN mandarins that they would have nothing to do with the Durban carnival of hate. Yet, Secretary Rice wants to “wait and see”. When she told Senator Coleman, “We have not tried to make any decision on this.”, it probably took all his self-control not to reply, What the Hell does that mean?!! (We can never overvalue the strength of a decent man who takes on the job of being a Senator.) It occurs to me that what it means is that Secretary Rice does not want to rock the leaky boat of Israeli/Palestinian “peace talks” and beyond by even whispering about Durban II which is, in large part, the creation of many despotic states in the region. It occurs to me that she is willing to throw overboard the principle of human rights (along with the safety of our erstwhile ally, Israel) in order to grab for the glittering prize of a Palestinian state which she mistakenly believes will magically cause peace and good feelings to break out all over the region thus disappearing, amongst others, the nasty problems in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Iran.
Human rights, the dignity of all nations and peoples, should be amongst the highest principles by which we live, and by which our nation’s actions in the world are determined. The U.S. government, which the last time I looked still included the State Department, should have zero tolerance for the virulent anti-semitism and the hate-filled tirades that are the hallmarks of the Durban enclaves. I even vaguely remember something about human rights being included in the UN Charter. So, rather than lounging around amongst the tea cups, perhaps someone — anyone — at State might try to find the energy to get on their feet, and JUST SAY NO! …………But who am I kidding — anyone trying that would find themselves on a one-way trip out the door. I am, by nature, an optimist, but, in this instance, I fear that Secretary Rice will cling to the grand bargain mirage, and whisper not more than a mild word of disappointment about Durban II. This is how the honor of a nation slips away. Remember it, and all the ones who brought us down this path. Remember it, when we experience the results of these actions.