JINSA Report #606 In Plain English

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October 5, 2006

JINSA Report #606

In Plain English

There is an American diplomatic disease that seems to choke plain
English. Secretary of State Rice met with Abu Mazen, the Palestinian
"President" whose party lost the January election and who is
contemplating a civil war to restore his station. She "stressed the need
to find ways to help the Palestinian people," according to The
Washington Post. Dr. Rice said, "I've been discussing with the president
ways that we might be able to better address some of the great needs
that are there with the Palestinian people."

As patriotic Americans, we offer language for the Secretary for use in
helping the Palestinian government help the Palestinian people: "Stop
spending your money, your political capital and the lives of your
children in pursuit of the destruction of Israel. Don't kill anyone.
Don't venerate killing. Don't steal. Don't lie."

Or, say it in the affirmative: "Build Palestine where you are instead of
coveting that which you do not have and will not get. Teach your
children the skills modern men and women need to live in a globally
wired world. Grow food. Build buildings. Plant trees. Read books,
preferably history and politics, that encourage the building of a
positive nationalism. I recommend Hamilton, Madison, Lincoln and Herzl."

That was fun. Let's try it on the other apparent subject of
American-Palestinian discussions, Abu Mazen's request for arms and
equipment for his secular terrorist army ostensibly so it can do battle
with Hamas's religious terrorist army.

Suggested language for Dr. Rice: "No."

America's experience with Palestinian "police" and "security forces" is
that they exercise their upgraded skills and equipment against Israel.
We should refuse to further enhance their capabilities. In the meantime,
all factions of the Palestinian government have been engaged in
smuggling arms and equipment from Egypt. Abu Mazen wants to keep that
particular arsenal for use against Israel and get a new one for internal
use. If he wants to conquer Hamas, fine, but he'll have to want it
enough to use the weapons he already has.

One more. Dr. Rice told Abu Mazen she would ask Israel to open Gaza
border crossings to make "movement and access" easier for the
Palestinians and "to make possible a life ... that is not subject to the
kind of daily humiliations that we know have been associated with the
occupation."

Suggested language for Dr. Rice: "I've changed my mind."

The Karni crossing has been closed because of Palestinian terrorism and
the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit. Israel is under no obligation to make
Palestinian terrorist "movement and access" easier, nevertheless, Karni
was reopened Tuesday as a gift. It was immediately closed by a strike of
Palestinian government workers. The Palestinian government, not Israel,
causes the "daily humiliations."

Plain English isn't hard. Now, if we could only get the State Department
to try it.

To view this JINSA Report online click on the link below.
http://www.jinsa.org/JINSAReports/3548

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