The Bush administration is holding talks with Congress about providing training and other support to security forces loyal to Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority.
The issue is touchy. Under U.S. law and Bush administration policy, any form of assistance to the Palestinians must sidetrack Hamas, the militia that won control of the Palestinian government nearly a year ago.
"We need to be very careful in how we do it," Casey said.
The State Department has designated Hamas as a terrorist organization and barred its participation in any peacemaking process until it accepts Israel's existence and abandons violence against the Jewish state. Abbas' security forces are obligated to stop Palestinian attacks on Israel.
Right, because having the US pick one side in Palestine will help so much.
Helping Abbas is a good idea, but this is exactly the sort of thing we should do quietly through a deniable partner.
On possible U.S. assistance, Casey said, "My understanding is that none of this would be what is referred to as lethal assistance. ... So, it would basically be, as I understand it, in the form of training and other kinds of support."
I always wonder how people can say things like that and keep a straight face. Training Abbas's security forces isn't lethal aid because we are not pulling the triggers.
Jay