Hamas win opens unseen opportunity

Last week the Palestinians broke out the familiar purple ink that has become a symbol of blossoming democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan to make their voices heard en masse. Demanding the first new government in some 40 years, Hamas -- considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union -- was elected in a landslide victory that immediately shifted the balance of power and legitimized Hamas as the voice of the Palestinian people.\nWhile no one questions that the election itself is a bold first step toward stable democracy and sustainable peace in the region, some would argue that an organization that built its reputation on suicide bombings should by no means be allowed to govern. Unfortunately, that is not a decision Americans, Israelis or anyone else has the right to make. If the United States wants to see democracy flourish around the world, it can't expect that every election will install a pro-American regime.\nNevertheless, hand-picking which elections we consider "legit" implies that only some people are intelligent and capable enough to choose their leaders. \nIf the west does not jump on this opportunity to create a stable, politically-oriented Palestine by working closely with newly elected leaders, the armed wing of Hamas will continue to terrorize the region. Moreover, a Hamas-led government that is denied international legitimacy could turn to Iran not only for financial support, but everything from food to weaponry as well.\nObviously, Israel and the United States need to err on the side of caution when approaching Hamas, but prudence does not necessarily negate optimism. President Bush and Interim Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert have made it clear that Hamas must renounce violence and end its campaign of terror; the next few weeks will be proving time for the Palestinian people. It's taken almost four decades for this election to happen, and it would be a damn shame to let this opportunity slip away.\n

Dissent

\nDuring the last few years, the Middle East peace process has played out like the ups and downs of a bad horror movie -- something scary is around the corner, so cover your eyes! Things were already shaky when the flicker of hope was extinguished last week by the ascension of terrorist organization Hamas into the controlling power of the Palestinian Authority. \nThe people have voted, and it would be impractical to dismantle their democratically elected government, but we shouldn't tolerate Hamas' impropriety. President Bush was right to declare "a political party that articulates the destruction of Israel as part of its platform is a party with which (the United States) will not deal."\nThe inclusion of Hamas into the political process could force the fundamentalist group to moderate itself, although it doesn't seem too anxious to do so. At best, even with moderation, it will take a while for Israel to trust Hamas, and rightfully so.\nIt's a tall order to expect Hamas to instantly alter its violent stance toward Israel, even under pressure from outside forces. We're nervous and without much optimism; this isn't a step backward as much as it is a hop, skip and a jump backward.\n-- Cordell M. Eddings and Tony Sams