What's urgent is a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.

Good idea. We'll get on that right away. Maybe we'll try a few decades of negotiations. It's worth a shot.

The author of the article isn't much better. His tally of the problems could have been listed by any high school history class.

His conclusions are even worse:

1. Military force is no good.

2. Neither is democracy.

What is?

Why "diplomacy," of course. A worship word. Simply saying the word practically accomplishes the goal, and marks one as a person of sophistication. Holding "talks" is the end, not the means.

He blissfully outlines ideas for diplomacy with the Palestinians--as though diplomacy, and billions in cash dumped into the private accounts of Palestinian thugs had never been tried. And diplomacy with Iran--which is failing spectacularly as I write this, on every front he suggests.

Of course, there is the old standby of utter capitulation. The Golan Heights. 1967 borders for Israel. The man obviously has no clue what the goals of Hamas and Hezbollah are. Hint: peaceful coexistence ain't one of them. Do some research on their writings.

The only thing missing is a brilliant suggestion to simply have the West submit to Islam, either going the "dhimmi" route (during the Cold War it was called "Finlandization"), or full-up conversion.