A few years ago, Iran attempted to achieve normal relations with the US, in which the embassies would be reopened, but a sticking point was the US demand that Iran recognize Israel’s right to exist. My understanding is that the Iranians agreed to accept Israel within its pre-1967 borders, but Israel vetoed the deal. I wonder if Charlie Rose is aware of this.

Charlie Rose should distinguish between Israel’s being accepted within its pre-1967 borders, and Israel’s effort to be accepted with borders that remain undefined.

CR’s repeated demands of both al-Assad and, in even more agitated mien, of Meshaal, that Israel’s right to exist be affirmed, is one indication of the real psychological change that must take place. I believe Rose truly believes that granting Israel’s right to exist is deeply meaningful, is essential, is intimately twined with Israeli identity. It’s been drilled into Israelis for so many years that it has been accepted as dogma. The Israeli mind is incapable of seeing what it has not been conditioned to see. It’s an extraordinary phenomenon: I once had a conversation with an Israeli librarian; we were talking about the origins of the term ‘antisemitism.’ I had just heard a lecturer argue that the term originated in 15th century Spain and mentioned that to the librarian. His face took on a very confused look, as if there were no neural pathways capable of assessing the information. Fascinating.

Perhaps I place to much meaning in people’s voice and body language; I thought Rose grew increasingly frantic as he repeated his demand of Meshaal: “Will you recognize Israel’s right to exist?” Similarly, it is seemingly not possible for someone like Rose to process the reality of the suffering and humiliation that Palestinians endure.

I think you are mistaken, in arguing Syria would be better off with an open democracy.
Minority rights in Syria receive much better protection from the al-Assad government, than would otherwise obtain. And consider the US, supposedly a “democracy”, where the war machine openly controls the US Congress.

“I also appreciate the need to ensure that democratic contests cannot be abused by billion or trillion dollar Western defense, security and intelligence apparatuses. I don’t have a great answer to that, which makes me less harsh on Assad than I would be otherwise.”

Arnold, I would like to congratulate you on this astute bservation! This is in fact one of the BIGGEST (if not “the biggest”) challenge facing the democracy movements in middle East and in fact all over the world from the Russian revolution of 1917 to Middle East to Cuban revolution!

That sounds like a good idea. Eminently reasonable. One would have thought.