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The last time Condi was here, she convinced Ariel Sharon to relax restrictions on Gaza and the Palestinians.

There were good humanitarian reasons, and she was persuasive.

(She’s smart and attractive, and Ariel is on record as saying so.)

Anyway, the pressure on the Palestinians was off. Things got better.

The result?

They elect a Hamas government, fire rockets into Israel, kidnap Gilad Shalit, and start a war with Israel.

Israel responded by putting the pressure back on. Heavy pressure.

Things got quiter. Not quiet, but quiet-er.

The last time Condi was here, she convinced Ariel Sharon to relax restrictions on Gaza and the Palestinians.

There were good humanitarian reasons, and she was persuasive.

(She’s smart and attractive, and Ariel is on record as saying so.)

Anyway, the pressure on the Palestinians was off. Things got better.

The result?

They elect a Hamas government, fire rockets into Israel, kidnap Gilad Shalit, and start a war with Israel.

Israel responded by putting the pressure back on. Heavy pressure.

Things got quiter. Not quiet, but quiet-er.

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Madbadturk invited me to dinner the next time I’m in Turkey, and I’ll see if I can take him up on that. He has a great blog that you would do well to check out.

However, the context of his invitation makes a point that is always good to remember:

People and governments aren’t synonimous.

A nation will elect a government for a specific reason, like fighting corruption. Yet, that government might have another agenda in addition to fighting corruption.

The Hamas-led government was elected because the Palestinians were tired of corruption. The problem is that they also got a government that started a war with Israel.

Madbadturk invited me to dinner the next time I’m in Turkey, and I’ll see if I can take him up on that. He has a great blog that you would do well to check out.

However, the context of his invitation makes a point that is always good to remember:

People and governments aren’t synonimous.

A nation will elect a government for a specific reason, like fighting corruption. Yet, that government might have another agenda in addition to fighting corruption.

The Hamas-led government was elected because the Palestinians were tired of corruption. The problem is that they also got a government that started a war with Israel.

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I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Turkey.

I’ve even spent a lot of time IN Turkey.

There are problems in Turkey.

It is becoming less and less likely that Turkey will join the EU. The EU has demanded that Turkey recognize the Republic of Cyprus. The EU has demanded that Turkey own up to the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians. The EU has demanded that they stop press censorship.

Each and every one of those demands is absolutely reasonable, and should be ANYONE’s minimum requirement for entry into a body like the EU.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Turkey.

I’ve even spent a lot of time IN Turkey.

There are problems in Turkey.

It is becoming less and less likely that Turkey will join the EU. The EU has demanded that Turkey recognize the Republic of Cyprus. The EU has demanded that Turkey own up to the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians. The EU has demanded that they stop press censorship.

Each and every one of those demands is absolutely reasonable, and should be ANYONE’s minimum requirement for entry into a body like the EU.

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Yesterday was Yom Kippur (pronounce it like this: yome kee-poor).

It’s a great day for introspection, for quiet reflection. The nation is quiet. No cars move. Kids play in the street. Religious Jews fast and afflict their souls. Christians and non-religious Jews have a sandwich and read a good book – but, we’re VERY quiet about it.

It is both a sprititual and a cultural experience. It’s a part of the fabric of Israeli society.

It’s also Ramadan, and my neighborhood of Gilo is surrounded on all sides by Arab towns and villages: Bethlehem, Beit Jala, and Beit Whatsitsname. You can’t miss Ramadan when you sit where I am.

Yesterday was Yom Kippur (pronounce it like this: yome kee-poor).

It’s a great day for introspection, for quiet reflection. The nation is quiet. No cars move. Kids play in the street. Religious Jews fast and afflict their souls. Christians and non-religious Jews have a sandwich and read a good book – but, we’re VERY quiet about it.

It is both a sprititual and a cultural experience. It’s a part of the fabric of Israeli society.

It’s also Ramadan, and my neighborhood of Gilo is surrounded on all sides by Arab towns and villages: Bethlehem, Beit Jala, and Beit Whatsitsname. You can’t miss Ramadan when you sit where I am.

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