MAKE ‘EM AN OFFER THEY CAN’T ACCEPT: Steven Den Beste does an excellent job of laying out President Bush’s strategy with the UN, using a proven technique:
About a year ago, he presented the Taliban with an ultimatum: Turn bin Laden over to us; shut down all al Qaeda facilities; eject all forces associated with al Qaeda from your country. Otherwise you’ll face the consequences.
Since bin Laden effectively was the ruler of Afghanistan at the time, and since al Qaeda forces represented the most trustworthy core of the Taliban field army fighting against the Northern Alliance, this was something that the Taliban couldn’t do. So what appeared to be a reasonable offer was in fact couched in terms which could not be accepted.
He did it again a few months ago, to the Palestinians. In the most significant change of American policy toward the Palestinians in decades, he declared that the US would no longer seriously negotiate with them until they implemented serious political reforms, including removing Arafat from power. (And he was roundly condemned for it. And it seems to be working.)
Now he’s doing it again, only this time with the UN.
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