Focus on Hamas Distracting Attention From Syrian Offer.

If frustrates me how often people buy into the Republican meme that Carter was the "worst President" in history.  We know that is not true.  It wasn't true then either.  One can fault the man for micromanagement and other matters, but the truth is he injected Human Rights into the arena of international diplomacy in such a way that even Reagan and Bush have to at least pay lip service to the concept.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall Nixon, Ford, Johnson, or Kennedy making Human Rights a cornerstone of their foreign policy.

Nixon mentioned it in his acceptance of the Republican nomination in 1960, but he is really talking about what later became known as Civil Rights.   Carter put it in his inaugural address:  

Our commitment to human rights must be absolute, our laws fair, our natural beauty preserved; the powerful must not persecute the weak, and human dignity must be enhanced.

People mocked Carter at the time for that decision.  Kissinger was particularly disdainful.  Recently, Carter was labeled a "traitor" by "supporters of Israel" for meeting with Hamas.  Israelis should be glad he has thick skin...

I'll come back to Hamas in a moment, but first, let's talk about someplace else Carter went on his recent trip; a trip some said "undercut" the official US diplomatic efforts in the region.  

Bloomberg News reports:

Syria believes that nearly all its differences with Israel have been resolved and that talks ``just need to be reconvened,'' Carter said in Jerusalem after meeting with Syrian officials in Damascus. Syria is eager that the U.S. play a ``strong role'' in talks with Israel, while in the meantime, the U.S. is opposing talks, Carter said.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad confirmed his country exchanged messages with Israel via third parties about the possibility of resuming peace talks, Syria's state-run SANA news service reported today. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the daily Yediot Ahronot last week that the two countries, which failed to sign a peace accord after the Six-Day war in 1967, clarified what they expect from a potential peace accord. Each side now understands what the other wants, Olmert said.

That is highly significant.  Carter was clear on his role here.  He told CNN,  "I'm not a negotiator, I'm just trying to understand different opinions and communicate, provide communications between people that won't communicate with each other."   Of course that was met with derision by such noted geography buffs as Steven Hadley.  

My lack of respect for Hadley stems from my belief that geography matters.  Look at a map and it is clear that Israel's existence is a lot more secure with neighboring nations recognizing it.  Hamas and their ilk may never come to that position.  In the long run it doesn't matter what they think.  They are not self-sufficient.  That is why I think this media focus on Hamas is a mistake.  

I do not believe Hamas will ever recognize the right of Jews or even secular Muslims to live in peace with their neighbors.  But given their recent failure to govern, I do not think they are a group with much staying power once you remove their international support.  That is why this development regarding Syria is so important.   In their haste to paint Carter as a "traitor" those who claim to be "supporters of Israel" risk cutting off their own noses to spite their face.