LET'S HAVE THE OLYMPICS IN GAZA! (I just wanted to be the first to draw the obvious conclusion...)

Earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee awarded the 2014 Winter Games to Sochi, a Russian resort near the Black Sea. “It was a historic decision for all countries,” said Dmitry Chernychenko, the city’s bid chief, after the announcement. “Russia will become even more open, more democratic.” He may be right. The IOC claims it’s only concerned about a city’s ability to stage the Games, but many awards appear to have been made to encourage a host country’s political liberalization. That’s largely why Moscow got the 1980 Summer Olympics and Seoul the 1988 ones. Many analysts, pointing to these two events, have maintained that hard-line governments do not last long after the athletes go home. [emphasis added]

Of course, Abbas might outbid Haniyeh for the right to have them in the West Bank.

Technorati Tag: Olympics and International Olympic Committee.