Former president Jimmy Carter announced that he plans to speak to exiled Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Syria. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice immediately attacked the plan, saying there is nothing “to be gained having discussions with Hamas about peace when Hamas is, in fact, the impediment to peace."
That makes as much sense as anything else in the Bush foreign policy. Why talk to someone who is firing missiles at Israel when you can fire missiles back and escalate the violence? Why talk to someone who is the enemy of your friend and try to find some common ground, some area of possible compromise? Why involve all the parties in conflict when you talk about peace? Why seek peace when you can continue war? That kind of thing makes too much sense for the Bush administration.
