The economic diaspora will undoubtedly continue even after a political peace ... it exists throughout the region.

There will undoubtedly be "carpetbaggers" and idealists ... but then there are, I believe, those thousands, those second and third generation palestinians who have never set foot in the territories and whose "homecoming" could represent a lateral or even downward move economically. I'm not sure where to turn for information on relative rankings regarding degree of hardship between, Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, etc., nor the degree of fundamentalism/sharia adopted within the refugee communities.

This is a subject I have virtually never heard discussed ... what comes after peace, but it's worth asking about, thinking about certainly. I worry that too many are counting lottery-style on a "pie in the sky" right of return that will afford them a home, a living and "just compensation" for hardships suffered ... whatever the reality it will pale beside those "pie in the sky" dreams.

Stories from Iraq would certainly suggest that those who settled comfortably in exile will be considered with a jaundiced eye on their return.

I wonder also about how "peace" will affect their welcome elsewhere ... certainly Lebanon and Jordan have their own reasonable expectations of eventually having at least some of the refuge population redistributed. Saddam encouraged and supported a palestinian population that I have read was jealously resented by the general Iraqi population -- don't know details, but I think they have largely "voluntarily" relocated in the last few years. While the palestinians will always be seen as Israel's victims, victims of the Jews and the United States, but one can wonder what will happen, and when, to the international Palestinian relief charities and what expectations/timelines UNWRA will develop.

I see a lot of factions whose retoric and reason for existence would have to change if peace broke out and who appear more than willing to "sacrifice" the palestinians (as collaborator/capitulators) to continue THEIR war on Israel ... "next year in Jerusalem" has a whole new meaning. I'm doubtful also that the new "sensible" crop of Palestinian politicians that I have also read about will have ANY impact on them.

I was reading an article over at Talking Points Memo on the occasion of Kosovo being considered for more independent status afer 8+ years of pretty tight custodianship by the UN and others which is part of what made me think of East and West Pakistan, the breakup of Yugoslavia, the proposed partitioning of Iraq.... borders and country names keep changing, I can't keep up.

I've been thinking a lot about Afghanistan and Iraq ...

"failed states" is too glib a term for the devolution into a gang and clan based society. It appears to be very very very hard (possibly impossible?) to reestablish the authority of a central national government. Fascinating and frightening to contemplate.

When people predicted the obsolescence of the "nation state" (secondary to globalization) I think they envisioned something quite different

Lou Dobbs and that evangelical fellow blamed "hip hip" culture for "blurring the lines" and then wondered LOUDLY why black leaders aren't worrying more about skyrocketing out-of-wedlock pregnancies in the black community ...

David Gregory (who I hope was pursuing a talking point) "nailed" Rev. Al Sharpton on his "rascist" comments regarding the perpetrator of the (later debunked) assault on TAWANA BRADLEY because Sharpton FAILED to apologize to the WHITE community 20 Years ago. ...

oh, then I heard that this was some sort of "backlash going to far" as a reaction to stifling "political correctness"

The lipstick being applied to this pig is astonishing.

Maybe if Imus had said "hottentotts" or "jungle bunnies" instead of "nappy headed" more people might understand that there's NO WAY this is (a) funny and (b) NOT RACIST. Maybe if he'd called them "sluts" or "c*nts" instead of "ho's"?.... people might have wondered how the fuck someone could talk about any winning women's athletic team that way ...

Then, considering the statement by the athlete's coach, it becomes truly SAD the way their REMARKABLE victory has become an incident in which lotsa folks keep saying what Imus said wasn't so bad that he should lose his job.

How many second-chances does that bilious asshole deserve? As others have remarked, if ANY of us had said such a thing at our JOBS we'd more THAN likely have already cleaned out our desk and be contemplating what to do NEXT.

The only commentary I haven't heard is that of Spike Lee ... he's a funny dude.

I think gradually and reluctantly MSNBC and the rest are realizing that IMUS is a "dead parrot" ... they're just vamping a bit until they figure how to "frame" what some next... after 3 days of this "incident" ... during most of which I wondered if they were somehow trying to "exploit" the story for ratings or what-the-fuck-ever.

Now I'm hearing that this is a "learning moment" ... un-huh. The Rutgers students and coach have been great ... Al Sharpton was great ... I missed Al Roker, but am astounded he is calling for Imus' firing. and it's obvious Gwen Iful never consider it a "joke" either.

I'm sorry for all the young people who thought we grown-ups were maybe better than this.