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January 08, 2012 - 08:36 AM God's Prophets warned us about this hppening!.... Why US Won't Be Center Stage In New Israeli-Arab Talks.. The United States won't take its usual center-stage position when Israeli and Palestinian negotiators meet today for their first direct talks in more than a year. The talks, set for Amman, Jordan, are designed to explore the potential for a return to formal direct peace negotiations, which collapsed in October 2010. They will include one meeting between Israeli and Palestinian representatives and another for those envoys to meet with the Quartet, the four world powers — the US, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations — that have been pressing for a return to the negotiating table. But the absence of the US from its traditional lead role is a telling sign of three realities, some Mideast experts say: The US is in a diminished position in the region after the year of the Arab Spring — in which Washington was seen as hesitant to back the protesters — and the failure of President Obama's pledge in September 2010 to reach a peace accord within a year. The advent of a tough election year means Mr. Obama is unlikely to jump into any peace initiative or to pressure Israel — something a Republican opponent could use against him. Expectations for tosday's talks are low, offering the US little incentive to employ its diplomatic prestige............................. Love, Red from NM |