Mark Steyn on the Hugh Hewitt show (FREE audio here):
In 2008, which you’ll recall was the last year of the Bush, Texas cowboy terror, 83% of Arabs had a very or somewhat negative view of the United States. By 2010, which was the second year of the Obama broaden engagement approach, 85% had a very or somewhat negative view. So much for the outreach. (…)
By the way, Hugh, would you negotiate with someone who wanted, would you trade land for you so-called right to exist? I mean, that’s what, even at their best, these people are offering. They’re dangling well, if you keep giving us enough stuff, we might recognize your “right to exist.” Well, screw that. I wouldn’t negotiate with someone who wants to negotiate over my right to exist, and their willingness to recognize it. And nor would you, and nor would anybody else. (…)
Almost 20 years ago, they were given a statelet to run. Yasser Arafat and his kleptocrats were given a statelet to run. They didn’t get everything they wanted, nor did the Irish in 1922, for example. But the Irish understood that if they demonstrated that they were capable of running a state, then the little bits they didn’t get would fall into their lap in the fullness of time, as they did. And what hasn’t happened here is that the Palestinians have not only failed to demonstrate any competence of running a state, they’ve failed to demonstrate any interest in it.
***
When the Irish turn out to be smarter, competent and more patiently goal oriented than than Palestinians, we’re all in trouble.
PS: Isn’t “permanent occupation” what most normal people call “the land we won after we kicked your butts in a war”?
