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Can we please stop the "killing in the name of..." crap and see this for what it really is: WATER RIGHTS!!!

Develop desalinization technology even further and you WILL have peace in the middle east. But science will never be listened to so long as we have a bunch of half-baked mystics running around in the sand with guns.

I am 100% behind our next president, and will support him in any way I can. But honestly, how does he think he can help there? Until there is only one left standing in the Palestinian – Israeli conflict, there will be a conflict. As long as one side uses religion against the other, or people continue to believe that a magic being in the sky cares who owns that land, this will never end. People invoking a god to declare Israel the rightful heir scares me. Other people invoking a god and indoctrinating generations of hate and terrorism scares me even more.

I fully believe that President Obama will do everything he can, but please America do not judge his presidency on what happens in Israel / Palestine. I hope he doesn't judge himself too harshly over it either.

this guy is an idiot. what makes him think that they would take him seriously. they see him as unworthy of their trust, they say he is welcomed as a visitor and not president of the most powerful country, and probably spit on him for eating half smoked pork sausages at Ben's Chillis cafe.

One man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter. Why not address the Palestinians' legitimate grievances for a permanent solution to the rocket attacks? The rockets, like the grievances, were there even before Hamas.

The Hamas just doesn't get it. Think we would allow Mexico to lob rockets into San Diego. It is time to make the Hamas understand that firing rockets will not be tolerated. I think Israel has been most patient until now. Here is one who is wishing success for Israel. I have recently worked in the middle east and I understand the hate for Isreal as well as the U.S.

I believe the problem in Gaza is under president Bush watch. He should do something about it. By the time Mr. Obama takes office they probably won't have nothing left to work with. That delay hurt the Palestinians more than the Israelis. And this upcoming administration falls right into Israel's hand, and look who is the chief of staff, a dual national. An American, and an a Israeli. It that's going to do any good, or help the Palestinians in any shape?. Hell no.

Thank God, we had an incoming President who sees the merits of PEACE! Remember, Bush turned a blind eye to Clinton's Peace Initiative and see where we are at today. The whole World is at War! So much for the Unifier! He was a JOKE!

If the U.S. can live in Peace with our multi-cultural society, so can people in the Middle East! God is the God of all and We need to recognize that one fact! Once the world recognizes that face, the peacewill be easy to achieve.

More intelligent answers. I hope this all gets resolved soon for ALL of our benefit.

PRESIDENT OBAMA, IS JUST THE PERSON TO BRING ABOUT A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, IN THE MIDDLE EAST!

No other US President has been able to bring peace to the Middle East but Obama can because he has experience as a community organizer. YES HE CAN!!

For all of the attempts to negotiate some sort of settlement over the years the problem is actually quite simple.

Hamas doesn't acknowledge Israel's right to exist.
Israel is still building settlements on other peoples land.

It's the solution that is insolvable
It is futile to even attempt to intervene if neither side is willing to give on these two underlyiing agendas. They will continue this on-and-off again war for decades to come, each shouting their selfrichous claims of agression against the other, while the people pay the ultimate price.

He will act promptly once he is president.

Watched the entire interview, scary, the man talks a lot, but is absolutely clueless on the enormity of the office of the President. Referring to foreign leaders and terrorists as "actors" in international policy, shows what a fantasyland our new PE lives in. I really hope whoever is the master for this guy, the one who makes his decisions, has the best interest of the US in mind.

Two presidents? Obama just doesn't want to make any tough decisions that might upset someone. He openly bashes Bush on the economy. I guess it's only areas that Obama is weak in that we can only have 1 President. Grow a pair Mr. President-Elect.

Hamas is willing to recognize Israel's right to die.

When will anyone get it? There will never be peace in the Middle East as long as Israel exists. Hamas does not want the current boarders. They want the destruction of Israel because they believe Israel is occupying Palestinian land. This is not just the belief of Hamas either. Iran and Lebanon both have expressed these sentiments. All we will ever get are short term brokered cease fires.

We need a strategy to eliminate the terrorist organizations behind these countries who use the destruction of Israel for their benefit to recruit more terrorists. We need to stop the influx of illegal weapons being sent to Hamas. These radical governments need to be shut down. Obama should try to make it financially impossible for them to survive.

How will this sit with Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel? He is totally pro-Isreal, and I wonder what fair compromise can be reached while one so close to the new President is literally blind to the suffering that Isreal inflicts on others.
I hope that President Obama can overcome this hurdle and at least bring about a truce between the warring factions very soon, as well as get troop withdrawals started in Iraq as promised.

We will watch and see.

Dear PE-Obama,

We do appreciate all the things you are planning to do. The voting majority of us are on your bandwagon for HOPE & CHANGE. And we do want "peace on earth" including the mid-east.

But is it just possible your level of confidence to help bring peace between those who have sworn to annihilate each other, may be a bit over reaching. Again, peace in the mid-east would be the greatest accomplishment and most appreciated human endeavors. And no one is trying to discourage you. Just suggesting you check your expectations at the door, but we pray for your wisdom and triumphant victory in this "near impossible challenge".

Thank You Mr. President, God knows the little Idiot in the White House now couldn't.

Obama's grandiosity will be his undoing. If he thinks he can grandstand the way he did during the primaries, he's wrong. He now offers 4.1 million new jobs? Yea, right. He can now break the Middle East deadlock, yea right. This guy better shake off his narcississtic core or events will do it for him.

Perhaps Clinton can get them as close to an agreement as he did in 2000.

Why has Israel banned independent media from offering a non-biased (or non-American) report of the events in Gaza? Yet Conservative American media outlets are free to report on the Israeli point of view of the current conflict – Joe the Plumber?

Two things to watch here: the pro-Israel lobby's near-total stranglehold on US Mid East policy (duh), and the dilemma faced by anti-war activists that supported BO last year.

Why has Israel banned independent media from offering a non-biased (or non-American biased) report of the events in Gaza? Yet Conservative American media outlets are free to report on the Israeli point of view of the current conflict – Joe the Plumber? Why is this?

Well, we know from scripture that there will be at least a seven or so year peace agreement made.....so perhaps that is part of your calling PE Obama.....but we also know from scripture it's most likely that peace won't last because there are others in the world whose only intent is to thrive in conflict.
I wish Israel the peace they deserve....it's been a long few thousand years...

All wars are bad and deserve equal attention, Dafur does not get the attention it deserves for example, first the Palestines and Isralites must who are almost brothers and sisters must realise that they need peace.

EVERYTHING is one of Obama's biggest challenges!Cheney and Bush have pretty much let evrything go down the tubes anywhere you look:the economy,the mortgage crisis,the auto industry,healthcare,Bin L;aden,Iran,Iraq,Afghantistan,Russia,Gaza.....you name it,they've screwed it up or completely neglected or ignred it.The victims of hurricane Katrina STILL haven't been taken care of to any great degree.
It's going to take PE a long time to rebuild what George"the IDIOT" Bush destroyed and it took 8 long years for that fool to do that much damage.
No he didn't start the war in Gaza but he sure turned his back on it which is criminal neglect no matter how you look at it.

The Arabian Peninsula is the natural home of the Semites (arabs, jews, etc); so there is not reason they shouldn't be MADE to find 'common ground'.

Apart from the millennia-old propensity of the Semitic BROTHERS to rain endless cycles of violence, vengeance and barbarism on each other, the greatest contributor to Middle East mayhem is the meddling of outsiders!

For around three thousand years, the Semites have been at each others throat; and outsiders are only succeed in pouring fuel on the age-old Middle East conflagration.

Semites need to be made to recall their origins; since they are ALL indigenous to the region.
The world should stop playing the Semitic game; because it will only consume all those who are into violence, vengeance and barbarism.

If the US wants to relieve pressure on itself becasue of the Mideast, just dump Israel and stop supporting the rogue nuclear power that arrogantly continues to expand settlements in the West Bank. Israel has no sense of proportional response, and they seem to think that 1 Israely life is equal to 400 dead Palestinian women and children. This formula, if allowed to persist, will start World War III. And now we learn that Israel wants to preemptively bomb Iran and wants our support. No thank you. Israel is the matchstick to a keg of dynamite - better for the US to back away and stop supporting this country.

To all my brothers and sisters in Islam; it is time we take a look in the mirror and start to recognize why the state of our people throughout the world is in such deplorable conditions. From Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, we have been ruled by monarchs and dictators who are nothing more than crooks and thieves. They are the reason a once vibrant Ummah is now in such despair. Groups like Hamas, Al Qaida, Hezbollah, and Jemaah Islamiyah are gangs of ignorance who seek nothing but power and bring all of us Muslims shame and in the case of Gaza, death. Enough is enough, we must clean our own house and it must begin now before we reach a point where Islam is at war with the rest of the world. Ask yourself if our beloved Prophet PBUH would condone the actions that have taken place in the name of Islam over the past decade. Would he accept the killing of women and children, would he accept a population which is uneducated and put up with Kings who lavish while their people suffer.
Don’t leave the dirty work we face up to outsiders, lets commit to riding our Ummah of hate, ignorance, and intolerance. Lets help ourselves by cleaning our house. To the people of Palestine, Pakistan, and Iraq, don’t let ignorant and hateful represent your interest. It is time to fight back and its time to fight back now. We don’t need to let the western military and intelligence services do what we can do ourselves.

Dear Mr.President-Elect Obama, You are really 'The One' that this country needs right now. Right from the day you started your campaign for the presidency, you have stood by your words, always up to the point. I have never seen anyone multitasking with ease, but you do so with ever smiling, charming and confident way. I am sure, with this kind of leadership, American people will be united and work hard to restore the confidence in America. Thank you for your dedication and hard work. May god bless you and god bless the United states of America.

How many teams will you have for all those "day one" projects. Good lip service Obama.

Mr. President,

The Middle East is a bottomless pitt...be careful, it has eaten up the dreams, hopes, and ambitions of so many before you...Yes they were bright, strong, and willing...but the end game is the same. Those people hate each other for 1000s of years and it will be so until the end of times...

I hope PE Obama will not back track on his "talking to our enemies as well as our friends" approach he made during the campaign!
All quarters need to be spoken to and all this talk of terrorism should include Israel, they are not clean in all this conflict and our constant
backing of them is really unfair.

Perhaps Obama can get an explanation that rings true from the Israeli's as to why a school run by the U.N. is a threat and all those injured kids are justified.

Make no mistake, Hamas should not be lobbing missles into Israel and that Israel has every right to defend itself, however, the degree of defense is questionable.

THE PALESTINIANS NEED TO MAKE IT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY

MORE THAN OURS TO COME WITH SOME TYPE OF PEACE

AGREEMENT WITH ISRAEL. THEY ALWAYS SOUND LIKE WE ARE

THE ONLY ONES IN THIS EQUATION. THEY NEED TO ELECT

LEADERS THAT WORK FOR PEACE RATHER THAN CONTINUES

WAR. WHY ARE WE ALWAYS WORKING HARDER THAN THEY ARE

FOR THEIR PEACE?

If it gets too difficult, Obama could probably hide out at Camp David like "W."

Unfortunately his whole team had a full 8 years to bring peace to the middle east when they worked for Bill Clinton...they didn't pull it off then so why is now different?

I hope he stays true to his words and work for long-lasting peace. For that he would have to appear fair and balanced because if he is viewed as favoring one side over the other, peace in the middle-east will remain elusive. I am sure if he shows commitment and leadership he can make it clear to both sides that peace must be the only option.

Ah, such an intelligent person. I can only hope that he is able to accomplish everything he sets out to do.

With regard to the Constitution, I believe Obama must find a way to hold Bush and company accountable for their illegal torture policies before someone in the international community steps forward to charge them. Bush and Cheney will not be sleeping very well after leaving office.

How unfortunate that God put so much oil under the bare feet of the residents of the Middle East. Otherwise, we could safely ignore this region like we are ignoring Darfur and Zimbabwe. What was He thinking?

PE Obama is on the right track ............he shouldn't let people pressure him to take a stand until he is officially in the role as President. Great interview.............He looked fit and upbeat.

However, yea, I do agree, it is at one of its more out-of-hand times. Still, don't blame Israel. If it was the U.S. we'd be doing the same thing.

Decades? Come on Obama, this has gone on for centuries and milleniums. It was going on in Bible times as well.

I think that the power to end this war in the middle east is not in the hands of the Israelis nor the Palestians. If the United States is determined to put an end to this war, it will end, The United States can bring Israel to heel swiftly and in doing so also Hamas., but will it be in their interest to end this war ? that is the big question.

The entire ME situation is like a powder keg waiting to blow. In my lifetime, I don't think I've ever seen a new Administration come into such a mess. God Bless you Obama for wanting to take on such a challenge. Good Luck.

"We cannot have two administrations at the same time.. sending signals in a volatile situation." Well said President-Elect Obama. Intelligence, sound judgment and wisdom at work. God bless you.

America, you are so blessed with your new President.
His world vision is amazing, simple and consistent.
I have no doubt al all that he is a gift off heaven.
Open your eyes and harts for this humble and honest man who will be a historic President.

The liberals main complaint about Bush was we interferred in the affairs of foreign countries. Leave Isreal alone to take care of their own problems. They are not PC and do a darn good job. Get our country moving again. That's what the people elected you to do. Send the terrorist back to the countries they came from and let them deal with these men. We don't want them in the Naval brig in Charleston.

Wishing you all the best President Elect Obama. One thing is for sure – You can't possibly do any worse than the previous Administration so it's all up hill after your Inauguration! God Speed. Looking forward to a brighter future.

The first signs of even-handedness. Good job Obama.

But watch out, MOSSAD agents are everywhere in America, and they will do evil things to Americans in the name of Israel.

Silence is the voice of complicity. And to claim that a defenseless people being slaughtered by the IDF harbors and practices terrorism is the voice of ignorance and arrogance. Where's the change?

May God lead you President Obama.

Every President since Truman has been trying to fix this problem without success. There will be peace when the Israelis wipe out the Palestinians or vice versa. We have to decide which side we want to win, the democracy or the terrorist thugs.

Some good points were made... of course, it was difficult to get much out of each question since Obama was interrupted repeatedly! I am very annoyed when a questioner feels that his question or input is more important than that of ... say the next President of the United States! I got the feeling that he was not listening...only thinking of what HE wanted to say next!

I think Obama held his own most of the time... and once even refusing to be interrupted. My thought was YES, finally, we get to hear a complete response! I'm still shaking off the feeling that I just watched a verbal race.... to see if the PE could be interrupted everytime he spoke...

Sounds like Obama is going to do exactly the same thing the NEO CONS have been doing. Must have something to do with him being in the CFR.

Its an easy concept: Is@rael always right everyone else is a terrorist. Its no brainer

After WW1 the Western Powers divided up the world moving countries boundaries wherever "they " felt like. This arrogance continued after WW2 and the State of Israel was created on land that was then currently occupied by other people.

Without going back 2000 years or so, it might seem that addressing more resent border shifts to acknowledge that some people have to right to their homeland would "start" to crack this never ending killing.

This problem is not all that hard if the worlds governments step back and look at what is fair instead of looking at what's in it for "them" the powers that be!

Without a consensus on fairness, we are left to the "might makes right" mentality and perpetual WAR.

AMERICA, TRULY WOULD HAVE BEEN A STABLE SOCIETY. . . HAD BARACK H. OBAMA - STEPPED IN BEHIND WILLIAM J. CLINTON!

Obama is correct in stating that you need to be dialectic with people. If you are not, how would you expect things to get any better? If no one speaks to one another, you only have chaos and ongoing war factions. If people pay attention to what others are saying, then, humanity presents a chance...

is CNN providing Obama a News Regulator for his Cabinet ?