US President to recognize Palestine?

From my State of the Union address, to be delivered after the 2012 election?

[TEXT BEGINS] Good evening, my fellow Americans. Tonight I announce a message which I hope will result in long-overdue peace and justice for the Palestinian people. The following message, conveyed here for the first time tonight, is directly from me to the Israeli government:

"I strongly urge that you withdraw all of your armed forces from the West Bank within six months. Effective immediately, I hereby exercise one of the powers of the presidency in order to grant diplomatic recognition to the West Bank and Gaza as the free and independent state of Palestine. This independent state will determine whether Israeli citizens and their settlements will be allowed to remain within its borders and under what terms. Also, it is my personal recommendation that the city of Jerusalem be declared an international city, to be administered by the United Nations. Perhaps the U.N. might consider relocating its headquarters there.

"If you do not withdraw your armed forces within six months, U.S. military personnel will enter these areas to serve as a counterbalancing force for justice. God help you if you open fire on us."

It makes a great deal of sense to demonstrate, by means of this initiative, the meaning of American justice to, among others, the one billion Moslems of the world. It makes no sense to perpetuate the feeling that America continually turns a blind eye to the unjust behaviors of an ally, Israel, toward a neighboring people, the Palestinians.

I am asking tonight, that independent Palestine's leaders seriously consider creating a nation without armed forces. I invite them to create an example for the rest of the world to follow. In the same breath, I ask Israel to publicly debate within its borders one critical issue: Who controls your nuclear weapons? Even though officially you neither admit nor deny that you have these weapons, I submit that secrecy here serves no useful purpose. If you insist on maintaining that these weapons do not exist in your arsenal, I in turn will initiate proceedings within the U.N. to introduce weapons inspectors within your borders.

Inspections will not be necessary if you admit and demonstrate (in a token way) that you have these weapons. I implore you to immediately initiate free, open, and public debate as to their control. Some have speculated that field commanders in your military have discretionary control over these weapons. I hope that particular speculation - dangerous if true - enters your public debate.

I wish to emphasize that I do not insist that you destroy these weapons, though I hope you'll consider doing just that. [TEXT ENDS]

The Big Question:

The Big Question: Would I (if elected US president) actually make such a speech?

Perhaps the Bigger Question: Would I be willing to make it part of my binding contract that I would not adopt such a course of action? In my case, this is an appropriate question to ask since I am basing my entire candidacy (and presidency, should I win) on enforceable adherence to all provisions of my contract. [Just a reminder: I am the only candidate running for the office of US president in 2012 who is offering a written, binding contract to the voters in exchange for their votes.]

Answer: I am not going to answer that question one way or the other - at least not here, not now. There are times when, as President, it's useful to be vague when planning strategic initiatives. Especially in this case, ambiguity will serve to further stimulate international debate and perhaps bring about currently-unforeseen policy alternatives.

Two Hands:

On the one hand, I have a personal distaste for third-party interventions; local affairs should be decided locally. On that same hand, I am aware of the remote possibility that Israel might choose to retaliate against our forces, perhaps even in a nuclear manner. However, on the other hand: How long must the Palestinians continue to wait for a viable, independent nation to call home? On that same "other hand," the War Powers Act of 1973 would not serve to bar me from proceeding militarily.

My hope:

I do hope, though, that Israel might somehow muster a greatness of faith and magnanimity of spirit to unilaterally withdraw from the West Bank and to be the first to recognize Palestine as an independent nation.

Some have argued that Israel must never relinquish the West Bank because "God gave us this land." If that's true, would it be against Allah’s will for you in turn to give this land to your half-brother, the Palestinian? If something is given as a gift with strings attached (that is, "It's yours [a gift from the Lord], but not to do with as you wish, not as you see fit and just"), then I must ask, "Can it really be considered a gift?"

It is well worth considering: What we do with our gifts is just as important as receiving them and from Whom we receive.

Steven Searle for U.S. President in 2012

Founder of The Independent Contractors’ Party

“Yes, it’s true, Barack Obama, that words are important. I just wish yours had more originality and backbone” – Steve.