The following political cartoon, while not a part of the original NewsMax.com article below, is without a doubt timely in its posting herein. (Thanks to KJM for the cartoon)

Click to enlarge.

Carter To Meet Hamas Leader: Jazeera

Thursday, April 10, 2008 9:37 AM

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter plans to meet Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal in Syria next week, despite U.S. efforts to isolate the Islamist Palestinian group, Al Jazeera television said.

The meeting was expected to take place in the Syrian capital Damascus on April 18, and may also include former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and former South African President Nelson Mandela.

“Senior Hamas officials have confirmed the Carter meeting but declined to speak on camera out of both political and security considerations,” Al Jazeera said on Thursday.

Washington shuns Hamas as a terrorist group and has joined Israel in supporting efforts to isolate it.

Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June. That left the West Bank under the control of the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority, which dismissed a Hamas-led government.

Carter, 83, served one term as president between 1977 and 1981. After leaving office he founded the Carter Center in Atlanta to promote global peace, health, democracy and human rights. In 2002, he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

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