Smith Column
Has It Just Right

Haviland Smith’s piece in last week’s Herald is a dead-on bull’s-eye, at least with respect to premise.

Achieving—or at least making significant progress on—a resolution of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict may be Prince George’s last chance to offset how the history books will treat his presidency.

Mr. Smith’s forecast may be optimistic on this point, because it may be too little too late for any kind of meaningful redemption even if Bush tries to make it happen. The same premise was valid six years ago when he took office. Although nothing having to do with the Mideast is simple or black-and-white, there is a good argument that the deepest root of Islamic extremism in the Middle East is nourished from the plight of the Palestinians, both then and now.

But after 9/11, the Bush administration—like a drunken hunter—failed to aim at the far-away and difficult-to-hit trophy target. It instead chose to fire at the side of a barn from 40 yards. The barn is now burned to the ground, at great cost.

Even so, it’s refreshing to see, hear and read of late more of a willingness to make such unsettling and uncomfortable observations: former President Carter’s new book is an example (I have not read it); Haviland Smith’s article is another.

J.A. Larsen

East Randolph