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State Dept Pushing Congress To Move Abject Failure Keith Dayton To West Bank

We just don't have the energy for this any more:

US State Department officials, looking to shift US Security Coordinator Lt.-Gen. Keith Dayton's work with Palestinian forces to the West Bank, have begun holding discussions with Congressional staff on how to restructure an $86 million funding program previously allocated to bolster Dayton's Gaza activities... Now the US, caught off-guard by Hamas's speedy defeat of Fatah forces in Gaza, is scrambling for new ways to strengthen Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah and isolate Hamas in Gaza. "They have a great appetite to work with Abbas and [PA Prime Minister Salaam] Fayad," said one Democratic Congressional staffer. "But I don't think they've quite figured out... what that cooperation looks like, where that money ought to go."

Here's an idea: if you want to bolster Abbas's forces, try not doing exactly what didn't work last time you tried it. Insane proposition, we know - if something doesn't work, try something new. But we're not highly trained State Department analysts, so what do we know. Maybe it will work this time.

Here's Dayton blaming Israel for Hamas rocket attacks at the beginning of June - because it can't possibly be that he was failing to sufficiently strengthen Fatah against Hamas.

Here's Dayton pressuring Israel to make security concessions a few weeks before the Hamas takeover - because since he was sufficiently strengthening Fatah, Israel could afford to take the risk.

Here's Dayton assuring Congress that he had successfully strengthened Fatah over Hamas, and complaining about how Israel was being unreasonable for not recognizing that. A few days later, of course, Hamas forces effortlessly routed the Dayton-coordinated Fatah forces in a matter of days.

He's obviously a successful security coordinator and a keen military analyst. Let's give him more money and weapons for the Palestinians. What could go wrong?

References:
* US wants to train Fatah in West Bank [JPost]
* US Security Envoy Blames Israel For Palestinian Rocket Attack On Israel. Or Something. [Video] [MR]
* US To Bring Abject Failure Of Security Assistance To West Bank, Renew Pressure On Israel. What Could Go Wrong? [MR]
* Memo To Foreign Policy Sophisticates - You'd Sound A Lot Less Stupid If You Stopped Mixing Your Condescension With Demonstrably False Fantasies Of Competence [MR]

Previously:
* US: Yeah, We'll Keep Giving Weapons and Training To Fatah. What Could Go Wrong?
* US State Department: By "Shun" Terrorist Governments We Mean "Not Shun"
* US State Department: Lebanon Is Not Responsible for Hezbollah

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  • Omri Ceren is a PhD candidate studying Rhetoric at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication. He lives in downtown Los Angeles.

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