Stupid Intelligence.

Actually this is a smart link titled Israel's Stupid-Smart Moves which is not too long, but a tricky read. Tricky maybe only in that I want to add my two cents worth. It is written by Michael Shtender-Auerbach who "writes on foreign policy for The Century Foundation and is press director for the Security and Peace Initiative, Century's joint venture with the Center for American Progress."
[I am not familiar with him, but have good feelings about his affiliations.]

It is about the negotiations or movement that must take place and the players that it may take, and well worth the "hard work" of a page and a half read.

The following section from it needs more attention:
"This past weekend, the participants at the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, rushed out a statement calling on the parties to agree to the following immediate steps to bring an end to the violence: The return of the Israeli soldiers in Gaza and Lebanon unharmed; an end to the shelling of Israeli territory; an end to Israeli military operations and the early withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza; and the release of the arrested Palestinian ministers and parliamentarians. While this is certainly a sign of international consensus, thus far, little has been done to bring the concerned parties together in agreement." [My italics and bold: These steps reflects a balance but the release of the arrested Palestinian portion is not getting much press.]

My two sense is that what must be avoided is what maybe some wish for, lack of movement or rather staying the course "...which could trigger an Israeli assault on Syria and Iran - a scenario that would change the face of the Middle East and eliminate any hope for regional stability."

Where we go from there would likely be more fundamentalizing and authoritarianism, while other major players may reap the field. [For better or worse, those other major players are the U.N, the Arab League, China and Russia, not to mention India and Pakistan.]

This may be my shortest two cents yet.

Follow-up: 11:28 AM US at Odds With Allies on Mideast Conflict
Credit: TruthOut.org
Unread: Bush's vision, and the region, appear to be near collapse

There I go again, but the title gets right to the point, and I will. How can you negotiate with terrorists? How can you negotiate with authoritarians? Actually I am answering the questions with the problem. If rubber stamp is the answer, does one stamp fit all?