How can US officials do this–
The U.S. will have its first formal meeting with the Taliban in more than a year over the next couple of days in Doha, which will be followed by a Taliban meeting with the Afghan High Peace Council, the White House announced Tuesday. [Link]
And not meet with Hamas?
For the same reason that we can vouch for the political legitimacy of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt while denouncing the Brotherhood’s cousin in Gaza, Hamas.
For the same reason we worked with Sunni political factions in Iraq though they carried out suicide bombings against Americans even as we demonize any Palestinian group that used suicide bombings against Israelis.
Because there is a double standard in American political life that exalts Israel and deems Israel’s foes terrorists and its critics delegitimizers– when in any other context these would be political matters. Because of the outsize role of the Israel lobby in the US discourse.
H/t Max Blumenthal.
Excellent! Have filed away for future use.
Right now, the argument against negotiating with Hamas is not much used because we have no need for negotiations with them. Hamas is contained between Egypt, the PA and the IDF.
Excellent observation. It would be interesting to hear Obama’s justification, but the chances of any White House ‘journalists’ asking the question are probably pretty slim.
At different points in times in different conflicts the opposition is described as beyond the pale and then later at a different point in time the opposition is deemed worthy of negotiation. Obviously where the US has boots on the ground they can determine that they wish to engage in negotiation with the opposition. In Israel the US does not have boots on the ground so therefore to talk or not to talk with Hamas is a decision left to Israel. At some point (in the past or the future) Israel should talk to Hamas, but it is understandable at this time that the US is not telling Israel with whom to talk. Also given that the US is pushing for a two state deal which Abbas might agree to and Hamas would not agree to,, why would the US push for talking to the party that would kibosh the slim reed that the US is attempting to establish?
Our hypocrisy is the root of much evil and the bulk of our “problems” with regard to our foreign policy. Our overriding concern is Israel first, coupled with a mutual drive for regional hegemony. And since Israel views almost everybody in the region as their enemy, we follow along faithfully, to our detriment.
The entire world watches as the last shreds of our credibility dangle, and we twist in the wind.
Well, its not really a double standard. Its just a different standard than you think it is, or our government admits it is. We don’t talk to Hamas because Israel doesn’t want us to, so our government makes up a phony excuse to cover the fact that we are taking orders from Israel. The standard is that Israel doesn’t care if we talk to the Taliban so we can talk to them all we want, but Israel doesn’t want us to talk to Hamas, so we don’t. One slimy standard, not a double one.