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ASIA TIMES


July 25, 2011


[Re Iran steps up assault on world terror, Jul 21] Brian M Downing's statement, "American foreign policy, after all, has been known to stray from the sobriety of its national security under the influence of lobbies," could not be more prophetic.


Downing was basically referring to one hot spot for US foreign policy in the Middle East. But it can easily apply to another hot spot, the Arab/Israeli dispute over Palestine. Everyone knows the only viable solution to that sad conflict of over 60 years is two states living side by side in peace and security. This is what President Barack Obama is trying to achieve, having made it a priority of his administration.


Obama knows this dispute endangers the security interests of America in the region. But, at every turn, the administration's efforts have been stymied by the Israel-can-do-no-wrong crowd in the US, perhaps the biggest obstacle to peace. For example, witness the reaction to the president uttering a simple truth "a peace based on the 1967 lines." And witness the adulation poured on the intransigent prime minister of Israel while in the US.


Witness also recent threats by the US congress to cut funding to the Palestine Authority if they continue with their efforts to gain UN recognition, while they have never threatened to cut funding to Israel even though it has committed many illegal activities over the years.


It is time to declare enough is enough and confront these lobbies head on. Too many years and too many lives have been wasted with little to show. A Palestinian state is in Israel's interest. And, when the Israel-can-do-no-wrong crowd finally figures that out and understands the great damage they are doing to US security interests and Israel, then peace will have a chance.

Fariborz S Fatemi

United States (Jul 25, '11)