Michael Shaik (VIC) responds to Stephens’ “Past spells out dangers of softly, softly” The Australian 27Nov09 November 27, 2009
The Australian: “Past spells out dangers of softly, softly” by Bret Stephens, 27 November 2009
Article scanned from newspaper – download scanner@afpsconnect.net.au_20091127_093341
Bret Stephens is wrong to cite the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty brokered by Jimmy Carter as a lesson to President Obama “in how even the purest of motives can lead to the most disastrous results.”
The Camp David Accords represent one of the only unambiguous successes of US Middle Eastern diplomacy, drawing the most powerful member of the Arab League out of the Soviet orbit, ending decades of warfare between Israel and Egypt and preparing the way for the subsequent peace agreement between Israel and Jordan.
Carter has noted that “Perhaps the most serious omission of the Camp David talks was the failure to clarify in writing Begin’s verbal promise concerning the settlement freeze during subsequent peace talks.”
It was this failure that gave rise to the “disastrous results” to which Stephens refers and provides the real lesson that President Obama should learn from the Carter’s peacemaking diplomacy.
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