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Originally posted by Rob Kamphausen:
but what about the fact that there needs to be a moderator (hey, i'm a moderator!) not just for the leaders... but for each person involved (i.e; every inidividual in the area)?

Humans don't generally work like that. And if there were still rogues causing trouble, the Pals would be obliged to sort them out.

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the civil war (essentially) mended the north and south of america -- that was 150 some years ago. lets see ya drive a caddy with NY plates through georgia.

Really? I didn't know that this tension still existed. its not as if Georgia was going to lead the South into independence though,is it?

I had thought the only serious US separatist movement was in Hawaii.

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sharon and arafat are both dicks. personally, i think arafat is the bigger ass hole of the two, but if there were a contest and sharon happened to win, i wouldnt be disappointed.
Personally, I agree that they are both dicks, but we play with the cards we're dealt.

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but even if clinton, your god of mediation, or w, jack's god of destruction, were able to jump in and, somehow, place a mighty bandaid on the situation...

there are still MUH-ILL-IONS of people that hate one another, for no reason other than they were raised to -- and most all of the horrible attacking occurances over the past few decades are directly related to everyday citizens, exactly like that.

THEY are the ones that are blowin up cars and cafes and kids.

yeah, i know, the leaders have "been busy" during the planning of these attacks, and they've "accidentally" missed hearing about them or whatever. .... however, y'cant hold the leaders responsible for all of the attacks -- i wouldnt even think most of them.

there is simply years and years and years of hatred in the area. and, again, i dont think any of our "four" options are gonna fix any of them.

...

so should we do a judge judy? is that the "less wrong" of the options? can we bring in the wrestling analogy? and, if so, can i be hulk hogan? palestine can be the iron sheik, israel can be... i dunno... I.R.S?

honestly... i think thats the best way to go. i dont think its the right way, but... i havent a clue on what the right way will be.
There was a lot of antagonism between Egypt and Israel, but they now have reasonable diplomatic relations.

Having said that, I personally think the peacekeeper route is the best way to go, because its the most expedient. I keep mentioning Cyprus. The strategy there is to keep the two sides apart until the dispute is enough of a memory that the distinction becomes meaningless. I don't know if that is realistic, but it saves lives, and quickly, and because the other option of not interfering isn't an option in US and EU policy. Stick some Norwegians, Turks, New Zealanders and Indians in between the Pals and the Israelis. Make the Gaza Strip West Palestine, and the West Bank East Palestine, as separate states.