"Let me propose another course. Put Hamas on probation."

Buchanan insists that we should not cut off aid to Palestine. He explains that by promoting elections in the Middle East, we should support the decisions of these citizens. He makes a good point. We shouldn’t immediately abandon a country after they choose their leader, because when Hamas fails, it’ll inevitably be our fault.

Make Hamas responsible for continuing the aid. And make Hamas responsible for terminating it, if it comes to that.

This way, we aren’t the bad guys to the Palestinians, the Hamas is. We need to consider the backlash to these kinds of decisions. Yes, Israel will be upset with us but if they look past the initial results and look at the long-term effect, they might reconsider. One must note that:

For it has been Israel's behavior, and uncritical U.S. support for that behavior, that produced this victory for Hamas. To continue on that road is to arrive at, literally, a dead end.

Secondly, the Hamas will fail on their own and when they do, it will reverberate in the next election. When our aid doesn’t reach its citizens, then we cut them off. When the aid is used against Israel, then we cut them off.

For almost a year, Hamas has held to a truce with Israel and not engaged in attacks. Let America and Europe send word that if the truce holds, if Hamas does not attack Israeli civilians, if Hamas show its first concern is, as it claims, bettering the life of the Palestinian people, we will let the aid flow. But if Hamas reignites the war, we will not finance the war. We will terminate the aid.

If we do, they’ll seek aid elsewhere:

What will Hamas do? Hamas will accept the cut-off of aid, seek money from the Saudis and Iranians, do their best to keep the Palestinian people fed, clothed, housed and educated, and sacrifice for their people. And Hamas will fail. And when they fail, whom do we think will be blamed? When the Palestinian people have been broken because they voted the wrong way, whom do we think they will hate?

They’ll hate us unless the Hamas beats themselves up. Hamas will make their own bed and lie in it. We’ll be there to pick up the pieces and help the Palestinians through the next election.

Bush has unleashed a revolution in the Middle East, and it is everywhere bringing to power Islamic fundamentalists. Either we deal with them, or fight them or get out of the Middle East.

I vote to deal with them and let them fail on their own or succeed as civilized, democratic nations. Once they get a true taste of democracy and freedom, things will change.