(New York Times) - Steven R. Weisman There has been an unusual degree of harmony among Mr. Bush's aides on the Middle East for several weeks, most recently since the president this week insisted on the dismantling of the militant group Hamas rather than reaching a cease-fire with it. "A cease-fire is useful only if it buys the Palestinians time to crack down on Hamas," said an administration official. "Ultimately, it will be useless because Hamas has to be destroyed. How can a group determined to wipe Israel off the face of the earth ever become a partner in the peace process?"
2003-06-27 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive