Recommended: Reality Check

Thomas Friedman's Op Ed in the Dec 11, 2010 New York Times is right on.  The article, Reality Check,  argues that the U.S. can do nothing to help the Israel-Palestine problem until the two sides themselves decide to negotiate seriously.  Until then, U.S. aid just perpetuates the illusion on both sides that they can wait until the U.S. makes a better offer, and by the way avoid having to deal with their own people. It is a well-argued thesis, I think it is right, and I wonder why after some 50 years of American negotiators and presidents trying fruitlessly to get the two sides to agree on something we haven't learned that it is useless. (Einstein: Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results).  Until they themselves want an agreement, it isn't going to happen.  And they may never want an agreement - more fools they.