>>I don't think the United States (or for that matter any outside power) is going to be able to reconcile the contradictions there. Bad behavior can be supressed ( as Tito proved ) but history and human nature cannot be renegotiated.
>
>Perception does mean a lot - you were led to believe so by the spinmeisters. As usual, 90+% of the people just want to be left alone and live their lives in peace (prosperity is welcome but actually optional); the trouble is how to keep the lid on the remainder and keep them below 10%. That's shown historically to be the critical mass to start a war.

I'm afraid the generation of Palestinians that has grown up with little dolls with suicide belts might not be among that 90%. As Germany, North Korea and other places have proved it is possible to create an alternate reality in a population that makes negotiation or compromise impossible.

>>Remember that a lot of US aid to Israel involves attempts to keep the more paranoid elements of their military and intelligence services from following the path that they think is necessary for national survival. Perception is a lot and the minute Israel feels they are cut off from allies, completely on their own and threatened with immanent destruction things will get very very bad very very quickly.
>
>Perception does mean a lot, and if I was Israel I'd make sure the US has this mental image of a dozen insane generals kept in a cage which would unleash themselves the moment we get a billion less than last year.

Not a bad strategy, actually. But that also does not mean it is illusion. I don't think the generals are insane, I think they are just unpersuaded by the Jimmy Carter's of the world that 'peple are the same everywhere' and that negotiations are always possible. They know better. Do you really think Carter understood Arafat better than Sharon or Nettenyahu ( or my cat ) did ?