A Little Room to Hope

The Boston Globe printed something today that warmed my heart:

The unilateral cease-fire announced yesterday by three Palestinian militant groups injects a new possibility of hope in the long-grim Israeli-Palestinian relationship. And the changed dynamic, analysts say, is due almost wholly to President Bush.

A lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace is still a long shot, but the Bush White House understands that there can be no peace for the United States until this situation has been handled. Bush's people have not been as staunch in supporting Israel's right to self-defense as I would have liked, but they've been like rocks when it comes to the largest terrorist organizations signing on to a cease-fire before talks can continue.

The seriousness of this White House, the pressure that they were willing to apply on both parties, and the quietly floated potential for US troops to take a role in stopping the terrorists all combined to give the "road map" the chance for success that does exist. The successful campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq--two battles in the War on Terrorism--also gave credence to an America willing to exert every option necessary to ensure our own national security.

It may not be anything even close to good odds, but the fact that there is a chance at all is more than I would have dared hope two years ago. Me, I'm an optimistic man--and I believe that people with big dreams and strong will can change the world.

Reagan dared to believe that we could, without directly firing a shot, cause the downfall of the Soviet Union. President Bush believes we can have peace between the Israelis and Palestinians--a peace that will lift not only Israel and Palestine, but will be a boon to the whole world.

I always put my money on the dreamers, and damn the odds.

Read the story.

Posted by zombyboy at June 30, 2003 01:56 PM | TrackBack