Wednesday, December 10, 2003

Former Top US Security Officials Back Geneva Accord, by Jim Lobe: 8 former senior US officials including Robert McNamara, Warren Christopher and Zbigniew Brzezinski join 60 former World leaders in endorsing the Geneva Accord. The 60 World leaders include Mikhail Gorbachev, Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke, Bill Hayden, Mary Robinson, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, FW de Klerk, Lord Carrington, Jacques Delors, and Oscar Arias Sanchez. The plan is the two-state solution. Practically the whole world supports this including, according to recent polls, the majority of both the Israeli and Palestinian populations. The main obstacle is the veto from the governments of Israel and the United States. Can enough pressure be brought to bear to overcome this and realise the plan? Its possible, but unlikely.

Another interesting facet of this development is the fact that 'retired' or ex-world leaders can find themselves able to support the peace plan, but the people in power support war and violence. Were any of these ex-leaders back in power, one wonders whether or not they would go mum on peace. And among the current leaders, when they are out of power, what are the chances they will support the peace plan? All this says something about the nature of state, political and military power. It is not a force for peace and human rights, rather it is the enemy.

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