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Saturday Nov 22, 2008
Rosner's Domain: Factor vs. MESH: the return of Dennis Ross?Posted by SHMUEL ROSNER
Comments: 6      Project MESH - Middle East Strategy at Harvard - has "conducted a poll of MESHNet members, asking them who would make the best Middle East envoy of the Obama administration".
It is an interesting survey - based on our Israel Factor poll of the same nature a few weeks ago. The question is the same question, and the list of possible candidates for the job is also identical (of course, both Richardson and Clinton are now out of the picture). Two things are different: the panelists answering the question, and the outcome. That's really the most interesting part of it. And we should ask the obvious question: why do the Israel Factor wants
But first things first: here's our survey, and MESH's, side by side:
So - where's the difference? MESH experts want Ross first. His numbers are much higher than those of the other candidates. Clinton and Holbrook come second and close third. Our panel (the Israel Factor) didn't really like the idea of Ross, and ranked
Why?
The real answer is that I don't know. But here's what we do know: the Factor experts are Israelis, MESH's are mostly Americans. The Factor experts were all picked because they know something about US-Israel relations, while the MESH group seems more eclectic in nature.
Thus - one notable difference makes sense: The MESH list has more professionals on the top (4 out of the first 5: Ross, Holbrooke, Powel, Kurtzer), while the Factor believes in politicians (3 out of the first 4: Richardson and the two Clintons). Maybe it's because Israelis tend to believe that an American politician will be more attentive to Anyway, as this is no more than a game, I've decided to do one more thing with it, and check what a list compiled by all these experts would look like. So, here it is: the combined MESH-Factor list (namely, the average of both lists):
1 | Mladen Andrijasevic Be'er Sheva , Israel, Saturday Nov 22, 2008
Why not rate candidates by the books/authors on jihad they have read? After all, to be a Middle East adviser you need to know what motivates the jihadists. For instance, books by Ibn Warraq, Bat Yeor, Ayaan Hirsi Ali would score 5 points, those by Karen Armstrong minus 3 points. I am afraid most of the candidates listed would get a negative or zero score.
2 | Amnon, Jerusalem, state of Lemmings, Sunday Nov 23, 2008
None of the above...If Israel wants a trustworthy U.S. negotiator, and Obama has a half-a-brain and can get away from his Left Fascist shackles, there's no finer choice than Al Haig.
All of the above (rosner picks) are Israel-haters or could really care less about the country.
3 | cohen, Sunday Nov 23, 2008
there is no peace to negotiate,only how far the palis can move forward under cover of an agreement where the words have no meaning for them. they will destroy you. the only viable alternative is to deport your fifth column,build a fence, and use your weapons without restraint.
4 | James in Beer Sheva, israel, Sunday Nov 23, 2008
CARTER ! You forgot Jimmy Carter ! How could you forget Jimmy Carter?
Just kidding.
5 | Shmuel Protter, Sunday Nov 23, 2008
A Fresh face would be helpful.
Dennis Ross did not, nor does he approve of the 2004 Bush to Sharon Letter.
Failure to take this into account will doom any settlement with the Israeli public.
Any believer in the 1949 Armistice lines should stand in Rosh Tzurim on a clear day and see how much of Central Israel could be devastated from that location alone.
6 | Mike Malkovitch, Sunday Nov 23, 2008
The Factor team has real life experience on the ground, in the face of the existential hazzards facing Israel today. The MESH factor is comprised of think tank types, who inhabit their books at reference libraries, drinking afternoon tea (or coffee).
Do we need to kow more?
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The Israel Factor, Sep. 2009: Obama is rapidly losing favor with panel of Israeli experts
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