American Spectator

Prize Positions

How Nobel of Him

Former president Bill Clinton apparently wants more than just a chance to serve as a DNC attack dog against President George W. Bush. He might actually want to work with him as well, sort of.

A Washington-based former Clinton aide says his ex-boss discussed the possibility of serving as a special envoy to the Middle East peace process with former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres. "When Peres was here this week, the two talked," says the source. "Clinton really wants to do more than just speak and raise money and make money. He misses the give and take, of being a constructive enabler for negotiations and peace."

He wouldn't have to be as special envoy for the U.S. either, says the former aide, but as an envoy for the United Nations, or perhaps even Israel. "He doesn't care who he works for as long as he's actively involved in the process. Who better than the man who spearheaded the process for the past eight years?"

A State Department source says there is virtually no chance the Clinton-as-peacemaker gambit will work. "Really, how the hell could that happen? The Israelis care too much about U.S. aid and support in the region to anger the Bush administration, and let's face it, that would really [tick] us off. The Palestinians need the U.S. for aid, too, and won't draw Clinton in for that reason. [U.N. secretary-general Kofi] Annan might try this, but we'd block it and it probably wouldn't see the light of day. Clinton's just looking for another angle to win his Nobel Peace Prize. Besides, both sides seem happy with Secretary Powell and his team."

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2001