A Quagmire, A Civil War: In PALESTINE!

You know how al l the left wing do-gooders, are constantly saying that they could do "it better" (whatever it is). Well one of their pet projects has long been the plight of the Palestinians. Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton both lavished praise, attention and huge amounts of US taxpayer dollars in a vain attempt to buy off the Palestinians.

Well, looks like good intentions don't count for much in a Middle East long wracked by tribal and sectarian strife. Now, there's talk of a civil war between the PLO and Hamas.

From the Associated Press:

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian security foiled the second attempt in two days to kill top commanders loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas in what officials in his Fatah party said Sunday was a "clear conspiracy" against their leaders.

Gaza security chief Rashid Abu Shbak, a central figure in the power struggle, was the target of an attempted bombing Sunday, security officials said.

The discovery came a day after Abbas‘ intelligence chief, Tareq Abu Rajab, was seriously wounded and one of his bodyguards was killed when a bomb loaded with metal pellets ripped through an elevator shaft in his Gaza headquarters.

Abbas, a political moderate, was elected in separate presidential elections last year and wields significant authority, including formal control over some security forces.

"Civil war is the red line that nobody dares cross, no matter which side they are on ... Civil war is forbidden," Abbas said on the sidelines of a World Economic Forum meeting in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik.

The 3,000-member Hamas militia was deployed for the first time last week, despite orders from Abbas not to form the unit. In response, forces loyal to Abbas came out in large numbers.

Fatah officials suspect Hamas was behind both incidents over the weekend but have stopped short of openly accusing the militant group of involvement.

For all the liberal catterwalling about Iraq, at least it has a new government founded on the principles of democracy and peace. The same cannot be said for Palestine.