Israel-Palestine, Hamas, Hizballah, and the Taliban

The growing number of commentators calling for a reversal of American policy on Israel—holding Israel to international standards of decency and protecting the human rights of Palestinians, for example—draws the wrath of militarism’s defenders.

But Israeli militarism has a new enemy: A growing number of military voices see the problems with aligning America blindly with a vicious, human rights-bashing regime, though their objections are voiced in terms of geo-politcal strategy.

Steve Clemons of the Washington Note features a piece on these matters, and an interview with writer Mark Perry:

This is an interesting short discussion between writer Mark Perrywho broke the story on General Petraeus asking that the West Bank and Gaza be part of the Central Command’s territory. Petraeus denied the report, but as Al Jazeera’s Gregg Carlstrom writes, this triggered an important debate about the military’s view of the costs of the US-Israel-Palestine standoff.

This short clip covers Perry’s views on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and the prospects of engagement by the Obama administration with Hamas and Hizballah. Interestingly, he notes that we are beginning to engage the Taliban who are killing Americans while not yet engaging Hamas and Hizballah who are not. His treatment of National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Adviser to the President on dealing with “moderate Hizballah” is worth hearing.

Mark Perry met with Gregg Carlstrom at the 5th Al Jazeera Forum which I am attending as well in Doha.