You look familiar, but who are you? (2 cents)

Remember when the U.S. refused to recognize Red China? Herblock (or maybe it was Bill Mauldin) had a cartoon in the Washington or St. Louis Post, showing State Department official Chester Bowles (one of my favorites)giving Congressional testimony to a Congressman, who was standing with a pointer in front of a wall map of the world. Well, almost the world, because while Russia and India ended the map to the East, Japan ended it to the West. The Congressman was pointing to the wall to the West of Japan, and saying: "Now tell me again, Mr. Bowles. What do you think is here at the end of the world?"

One of the first things that was done to end our stalemate with the mainland Chinese was, of course, to recongize the country. Had this not been done, what a mess we would be in today.

So, let's go to the middle east.

It seems obvious to me (only me?) that as long as middle eastern countries do not recognize Israel, the problems will continue. As long as the Arab boycott of Israeli goods (and secondary boycott of those who trade with Israel) continues, the problems won't get better.

So, in addition to everything else that is being bandied about by the U.N., by NATO, by the G-8 and who knows who else, shouldn't one requirement be that all of the countries in the regions recognize each other? If its middle east neighbors are forced to recognize Israel, and exchange ambassadors and do all those other things that countries do, things have to get better, not worse. Isn't this something that the U.N. should be able to require of its member nations???? Seems obvious to me.