The US should initiate contacts with... Hezbollah

Roger Cohen, in the New York Times, here

".....The United States should follow the British example. It should initiate diplomatic contacts with the political wing of Hezbollah. The Obama administration should also look carefully at how to reach moderate Hamas elements and engineer a Hamas Fatah reconciliation At this vast human, material and moral price, Israel achieved almost nothing beyond damage to its image throughout the world. Israel has the right to hit back when attacked, but any response should be proportional and governed by sober political calculation.

The Gaza war was a travesty; I have never previously felt so shamed by Israel’s actions.No wonder Hamas and Hezbollah are seen throughout the Arab world as legitimate resistance movements.

It’s time to look at them again and adopt the new British view that contact can encourage Hezbollah “to move away from violence and play a constructive, democratic and peaceful role.”The British step is a breakthrough. By contrast, Clinton’s invitation to Iran is of little significance.