President Carter's Progressive Diplomacy Triumphs in the Middle East, Casts Dark Shadow on Bush Zero Dialogue Policy:
Over the course of a single meeting, former President Jimmy Carter achieved more in the way of Middle East peace than President Bush has in over seven years in office. Speaking with 12 leading officials from the Palestinian militant cum political group, Hamas, Carter secured a statement from the group saying that it would be willing to agree to a 10 year cease fire with Israel if the Jewish state returned to internationally recognized borders established before the 'War of 1967' (also knows as the '6 Days War'). The move is significant as, for the first time, Hamas frontman Khaled Meshall publicly offered a 'truce if Israel withdraws to the [internationally recognized] 1967 borders, a truce of 10 years as an alternative to recognition." While the agreement comes up short of Hamas' official recognition of Israel's right to exist, it goes a long way in clearing the way for a two-state solution, which is something that President Bush's policy of zero dialogue with Hamas has failed to secure.
Speaking to NPR reporters early on Monday, Carter humbly described his role in the process, deflecting praise and claiming that all he had done was sit down for an open and honest discussion with Hamas, which controls a majority of seats in the Palestinian Authority's parliament. Carter posed his questions to the group in writing, so as to avoid any ambiguity in their meaning. He also criticized Israel and the White House for their unwillingness to negotiate with Hamas. 'The problem is that Israel and the United States refuse to meet with someone who must be involved,' Carter said, speaking to the Israel Council on Foreign Relations.
The White House's response to Carter's announcement was less than ecstatic. White House Press Secretary Dana Perino offered little praise, saying in reference to Hamas that 'actions speak louder than words' and the group has a long way to go in proving its commitment to the peace process. Israeli Prime Minister's response was even more frosty, and the leader refused to meet with Carter in Jerusalem upon the former President's return from Damascus, where he held talks with Hamas leaders.
Despite the chilly response from Washington and Jerusalem, Carter's commitment to open dialogue is admirable, and the results speak for themselves. Hopefully, Hamas' stated desire for a truce with Israel is more than rhetoric and Israel uses this offer as a building block in the quest for a more peaceful Middle East.
McCamley Offers Shortsighted Policy on Fireworks Sales:
More locally, in an op-ed published Sunday in the Las Cruces Sun News, Dona Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley voiced his support for a measure that would allow vendors in the county to sell fireworks to individuals who could prove they lived outside Dona Ana and would use their purchases outside of county limits. McCamley, who is also locked in a tight race with Lea County Commissioner Harry Teague for the Democratic nomination in the race for the open seat in New Mexico's Second Congressional District, said that the measure would directly raise $45,000 for local businesses and that the indirect amount would come near $100,000.
What Commissioner McCamley failed to include in his piece was a reasonable solution to ensure that out-of-towners did not simply purchase fireworks for use by Dona Ana residents, or how to stop sales to those who have recently moved to the county but retain a driver's license from another location. While McCamley is good to point out the important things that over $90,000 in revenue would do for the Dona Ana community, the prospect of ineffective fireworks regulation coupled with a dry, blazing hot Southern New Mexico summer could spell disaster for the area in form of brutal wildfires, which, by the way, would cause damage worth far more than the revenue gained from fireworks sales in the first place.
Oil Prices Reach a New All-time High, Voters Feel Pain at the Pump:
Prices for U.S. light, sweet crude hit a new high today, soaring to nearly $118. With U.S. consumers headed to the polls in just over six months, the skyrocketing cost of gas has become a top concern amongst voters. Candidates who piece together a sensible, far-reaching energy policy, which includes an expanded role for renewable sources like wind, solar, and hydroelectric, will likely enjoy success on Election Day. The Land of Enchantment stands to benefit substantially from a new focus on wind and solar energy, and New Mexican voters would be well-advised to support candidates who stresses their platform.
Reporting live from Gallup, this is the New Mexico Progressive. Your comments are, as always, welcomed and encouraged.
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