Ben Praster's column, "Relations with Hamas will test U.S. officials," Feb. 6, presents some alarming views. He wrote, "Bush is going to have to find a way to hate the sin and not the sinner," and "Bush is going to have to find a way to deal with Hamas in spite of its atrocious history." This is akin to recognizing Hamas as a legitimate partner for peace for Israel, which in no way represents the reality of the situation. Hamas will not be a viable partner for peace unless Western leaders confront, not ignore, its history of suicide bombings and terror operations. And unless Hamas recognizes the state of Israel and voices its dedication to the peace process, there is no point in believing that the organization is capable of negotiation.

Although Hamas was democratically elected, it is still a militant group. It is imperative that we keep this in mind when analyzing the situation.