The threat of Amb. Mitchell that the US could cut off loan guarantees( if Israel plays tough with Abbas)is a serious breach in the US-Israel relationship.
Firstly the PM should tell Mitchell to stay home now,as it is an inopportune time to meet under a threat condition.
Secondly its time for Israel to say,"thank you-but no thank you.."to further loan guarantees.Except for military aid,especially in protection against incoming rockets and certain types of bombs and planes)Israel is doing quite well economically.
Thirdly ,any time limit on negotiations works against Israel.There is no way there will ever be an agreement on the PA "right of return"---ever.Thus as they get closer to the 2 year mark,immense pressure will be placed 0n Israel.The same goes for Jerusalem.
The Mass. Senate race is tightening.It would be a miracle for the Reps. to win,but even a loss within a few points would be a victory,and send chills down the spines of the liberals.I could predict a Rep. victory,but it would be based not on facts(despite the latest poll) (or on momentum) but on a gut feeling that even in liberal Mass. people are fed up with Obamacare,taxes and rising defecits. Wew shall see on Jan. 19th.
While the President finally used the W word (war) he restricted it to Al Quada .He still does not really subscribe to a world war against islamo-fascists of all labels.
Nor does he or his team understand the difference in questioning a terrorist for weeks on end in military isolation as an enemy combatant to reading Miranda rights to a "suspect" immediately after apprehension, giving them a lawyer who advises silence and then even before we know REAL information offer them a "DEAL" that will come months or years later.
The only deal we should offer is the gas chamber vs hanging vs firing squad, with a lot of waterboarding thrown in.
Our next Pres. in 2012 ( a-la Reagan -post Carter) will have to undo all this left wing liberal internationalist approach.
