tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8736759.post6240527375727094877..comments2023-06-30T08:06:27.252-07:00Comments on Famous Last Words: The Golden Age of America...Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410358838960573157noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8736759.post-43926514854461260402007-08-14T13:47:00.000-07:002007-08-14T13:47:00.000-07:00Thanks for the comment.It is certainly true that t...Thanks for the comment.<BR/><BR/>It is certainly true that the Clinton Admin was unable to accomplish anything tangible re: Mideast Peace negotiations. The counter-argument, however, is that the situation was likely left no worse when they left office.<BR/><BR/>Probably no US government has ever done enough to push peace negotiations in the Middle East, which is strange given our strategic interests in the region.Blakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11410358838960573157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8736759.post-76381531540481955232007-08-14T09:53:00.000-07:002007-08-14T09:53:00.000-07:00You have provided a good summary of the accomplish...You have provided a good summary of the accomplishments of the Clinton administration. <BR/><BR/>"Let me be honest - Bill Clinton was not one of America's 'Great' Presidents."<BR/><BR/>Without the event of a national crisis, usually in the form of a war, it is difficult for a President to demonstrate the leadership skill and accomplishment that can later result in a bestowal of the mantel of historical greatness. Clinton said something exactly to this effect shortly after 9/11 occurred when he wished this type of opportunity had been available while he was in office. One area where I believe Clinton could have possibly achieved more results in would have been to have pressed much more vigorously for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. The Gulf War left the US as the only super power in the region, and there was a loose international coalition in place. More pressure should have been placed on both sides to make the compromises in their positions which, could have lead to a resolution of this problem. Clinton had Rabin and Arafat to the White House in 1993 and they all had a nice hand shaking photo op. But this should only have been the beginning of the process, and he needed to continue the unpleasant but necessary task of arm twisting these leaders once they got back home in order to force them to live up to the bargain. Leaving the job up to the normal diplomatic process eventually resulted in the typical inaction and stalling, and thus a lost opportunity.MGK821ZAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08328210017565045733noreply@blogger.com