Landmines On The “Road To Peace”

by Christopher G. Adamo

Among the most monotonously repeated ideas coming out of the State Department in recent months is the notion that the Palestinians “deserve” a free and independent state of their own. So frequently is this mantra chanted by high-ranking officials at State that in the minds of many it is established as inarguable fact. But neither history nor common sense lends a shred of support to such a sentiment. In truth, an abundance of past experience clearly proves the continued pursuit of this goal to be fruitless, and more significantly, exceptionally dangerous.

True freedom cannot be granted to a people by some benevolent outside power. Rather, it must be earned by those who recognize its worth, and who are willing to pour out their very beings in its pursuit, not just for themselves, but also for their fellow citizens. The American Revolution stands among the most profound examples; it's key players pledging (and, in many cases, forfeiting) their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor” for a country and cause they considered ultimately noble.

In contrast, as a people the Palestinians have shown themselves to be perfectly willing to be exploited by their unscrupulous leadership along with the rest of the Arab world, among whom they are regarded as merely a means of undermining the security of Israel. If their Arab “brethren” were ever truly concerned about a legitimate Palestinian “state”, why didn't it result during the countless years in which Israel was not a factor in its formation?

Yet once again Secretary of State Colin Powell is doing an international tap-dance for middle-eastern leaders, vainly attempting to put together some sort of worthwhile agreement, its end result being a Palestinian State. One may hope that he might eventually abandon such futility, if not from any recognition of reality, then at least in an effort to salvage his battered image. So far, however, he shows no signs of relenting and in fact seems content to continually be played for the fool.

Certainly the United States should not allow its foreign policy goals to be dictated by random acts of terrorism. But the widely approved actions perpetrated among the Palestinians do not constitute isolated or random actions. By doggedly insisting on the plausibility and inevitability of a Palestinian state, while having to continually lower any standards under which it can be declared as legitimate, American leaders are only strengthening the resolve and zeal of a people who hate the U.S. as much as they hate Israel.

Worse yet, in further pursuit of an appeasement that will never work, the United States is sending $50 million in “aid” to the Palestinians. Estimates of the total cost to Al Qaeda, for the entirety of the September 11 attacks, range from $70 thousand to $500 thousand. One need not have a master's degree in accounting to comprehend that if even a fraction of the “aid” package is diverted to terrorists, the U.S. Government may well be financing major attacks against its own people. At the very least, it is assured that some of the money will end up being paid to family members of successful suicide bombers. Finally, does anyone really think that the remainder of this sum will somehow enhance the lifestyle of the Palestinian people?

Like freedom, neither democracy nor any of its variant forms of self-governance will work unless those practicing it hold to higher standards than mere self-interest. This is why the American government, under the Constitution, served the people of this land so well for more than two centuries. It is also at the root of the biggest obstacle to the establishment of a “free and independent” Palestinian state, either now or in the future.

In a society where both the rule of law and the rights of others are completely subordinated to the wishes of the powerful, and where the masses regard such a governing philosophy as acceptable, it is pure fantasy to think that justice can prevail for all. And if it is not the promise for all, it cannot be secure for any. That Yassir Arafat has  been the leader of the Palestinian people for so long is not a result of some unfortunate accident. His ways are indeed a reflection of their accepted practices of dealing with adversaries. As to newly chosen Palestinian “prime minister” Mahmoud Abbas, he is merely a figurehead, doing Arafat's bidding. The fact that he remains alive stands as incontrovertible proof.

Growing up during the turbulent decades of the ‘60's and ‘70's, Christopher  Adamo saw, to his dismay, the nation's moral foundations being destroyed  before his very eyes. But even then he was a staunch Conservative at heart,  and rejected outright the tenets of America's counterculture revolution.

 After a hitch in the Air Force, where he specialized in airborne  electro- optical systems, he pursued a career in the field of aerospace,  working for major defense contractors in California, Florida, and Colorado. But his career plans abruptly changed during the industry-wide downsizing that followed the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Presently he is working in the field of industrial instrumentation in the state of Wyoming. Concurrently, he has become involved in that state's political process, attending state GOP conventions as a delegate, and serving as a member of the Wyoming Republican Central Committee. He has also aided in the candidacies of local legislators and state senators, as well as a U.S. Senator and Congresswoman.

From 1993 to 1996, he edited and wrote for “The Wyoming Christian”, the state newsletter for Christian Coalition of Wyoming. During that period, he developed an acute awareness of the harm being done to Conservatism by liberal activists within the Republican Party as well as the Democrats. This remains a favorite theme of his articles, which now appear as a regular feature on GOPUSA.