Anne Bayefsky’s ongoing coverage of the preparatory sessions for the upcoming Durban II conference have been both revealing and disappointing. Her latest has this:
Here is how the American delegates responded to a proposal they understood was incompatible with U.S. interests (“Brackets” denote withholding approval at any given moment in time.): “I hate to be the cause of unhappiness in the room . . . I have to suggest this phrase remains in brackets and I offer my sincere apologies.”
Having watched U.N. meetings for the past 25 years, I can’t remember a U.S. representative in a public session so openly obsequious, particularly in the presence of such specious human rights authorities. And yet the U.S. delegates appear happy to be there and convey the marching orders of their new commander-in-chief.
(The American bootlicking is undermining countries like Britain and Italy who are trying to change the direction of the Durban II conference.)
Unfortunately deferring to tyrants and despots has consequences beyond just the antisemitic Durban II hatefest. Barry Rubin fears that a number of situations in the world are deteriorating – in Lebanon, in Turkey and in Iran – and the United States has decided to be popular instead of strong. (h/t LGF and memeorandum)
In short, 2009 is looking like a year of massive defeat for the US and its friends in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Washington is blind to this trend, pursuing a futile attempt to conciliate its enemies, losing time and not adopting the policies desperately needed.
Instead, the US should make itself leader of a broad coalition of Arab and European states, along with Israel, to resist Islamism and Iranian ambitions.
Alas, the new administration is fooling around while the region burns.
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
Popular instead of strong? And the result, Meryl, will of course be that we won’t be either. The Arabs and Iranians will not see our toadying as a sign of goodwill to be met by goodwill on their side, but as weakness to be exploited.
That sort of choice reminds me more and more of Churchill’s assessment of likely British policy at Munich in 1938–the choice was, he said, between shame and war. “They have chosen shame and they will get war.”
Meanwhile, nearly a billion smackers for Hamas? Not likely to force them to deal with the consequences of their actions.
Thank goodness baseball season is about to start.
Alex, even now, you can’t tell the difference between Soccer Dad’s posts and mine?
I’ve had co-bloggers for a very long time now.
My apologies, meryl. I just moved, don’t have home computer service yet, and my time on the library computer was about to expire.
So the “Crossposted on Yourish” tag at the bottom didn’t give you a hint?
I’m not mad, just sighing heavily.
Whoops, that should have said Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
UPDATE: Fixed.
This one got picked up by Yahoo news, too. I have no idea what the pattern is, but I’m pretty sure it has something to do with Sphere.
I have had a couple of posts that were picked up by Yahoo recently. Funny thing is that they had nothing to do with the topic. Weird.