The British recently announced they were going to try to engage Hezbollah in negotiations (codewords: We must engage, they're part of the landscape). The Americans, as in Obama Administration, were puzzled by this (codewords: they look like terrorists to us).
Hezbollah clarified things today, when their leader Hassan Nassrallah explained:
He was responding to a US suggestion that both Hezbollah and the Palestinian faction Hamas should recognise Israel before expecting any US engagement.
"We reject the American conditions," he said. "As long as Hezbollah exists, it will never recognise Israel."
But don't expect this to deter the British. Or at least, not for very long.
The British argument for engagement usually includes something about their success in Ireland.
ReplyDeleteIt's not really a comparable situation and I hesitate to draw conclusions either way, but still - don't they look a little stupid talking to Hizbollah even as the bad guys in Ireland start a new round of killing?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheat-sheet/item/n-ireland-violence-intensifies/scary/