Hillary Clinton bound for the Middle East - more of the same?

February 24, 1:54 PMForeign Policy ExaminerAimee Kligman

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A Palestinian boy plays inside a destroyed car in an area targeted in last month's Israeli military offensive, in Jebaliya, northern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009. United States aid for the Gaza Strip's reconstruction will likely top $900 million, an official said, as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton prepared to make her first Mideast trip as America's top diplomat.(AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Destruction in Gaza. Peace Negotiations. George Mitchell visits. More Negotiations. Netanyahu to form coalition government. Rumors of Hamas and EU diplomats negotiations. John Kerry visits Gaza. Nancy Pelosi visits Syria. Congressmen Ellison and Baird visit Gaza and are "appalled". John Kerry visits Syria. Syria's Assad is batting his eyelashes at Washington. Iran waiting for concrete move from US. More peace negotiations in Egypt. Olmert fires key negotiator in peace talks in Egypt. Regular reports by Doctors without Borders and Amnesty International on the use of illegal weapons in Gaza assault. Obama signs bill for emergency humanitarian contribution to Gaza for US$20 .3 million. Netanyahu doesn't want a two state solution. George Mitchell due back in Middle East this week. Clinton just ended her first foreign policy tour in Asia. The US is broke; Hillary asked China for a second mortgage. Netanyahu wants settlements to continue. President Obama is slated to address the nation this evening. He is expected to ask Congress for $2.775 billion in military aid to Israel.

When do we draw the line?

Hillary Clinton will be attending an International Conference of Gaza donors in Egypt on March 2nd, 2009. So here we are, a nation in dangerous economic times. We are donating relief to Gaza because Israel has inflicted so much damage on the land and its people with weapons we gave them (or sold them, depending upon semantics, since the military aid money is used to by our weapons).

Hillary Clinton will be visiting Jerusalem and Gaza immediately after she leaves Egypt.

A recent Ha'aretz article reports that 'The EU, meanwhile, made its decision to freeze the upgrade in relations out of fear that Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu would set up a rightist government that would freeze talks with the PA. The upgrade, which was approved a few months ago, carries significant economic benefits, such as removing trade barriers and encouraging foreign investment. It is therefore potentially a compelling pressure tactic'.

Today's Washington Report on Middle East Affairs alludes to the possibility that George Mitchell may convince President Obama to 'cut military aid as a response to Israel's ongoing settlement activities in the occupied West Bank. A Feb. 15 Ha'aretz article speculated that amounts available for U.S. loan guarantees to Israel would be cut for the same reason'.

There has to be a coherent connection between what is happening in the Middle East and our foreign policy direction.

In the interim, the US Campaign to end the Occupation has posted 3 videos on their website called 'Armed and Dangerous'. Here's the first of the 3:

You may view the other two here. If Hillary Clinton continues with same rhetoric, she will make herself irrelevant to the peace process.