Tick Tock Goes the Middle East Decider's Clock

Middle East "strategery" has never been George Bush's strong suit. So when the Great Decider declares that he will bring a lasting peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians before the end of his term, don't bet your subprime mortgage on it.

If only he would make a similar bold declaration that he will unite that one impossibility with a withdrawal from Iraq...well, then, now we're talking serious second coming possibilities.

"I've got twelve months left in office," Bush declared after promising he would not impose any deadlines on the parties. For readers collectively holding their breath, the president was shortchanging himself by a few days (according to my Bush Countdown Clock, his term expires 374 days, 13 minutes and 12 seconds from this very moment (10:40PM EST)).

Bush's commitment to commence Kissingerian-style shuttle diplomacy can either be attributed to his paternal desire to salvage the tarnished image of his maligned Secretary of State, or a genuine recognition that he might as well do something about the mess he and his team helped create in the Middle East since they cannot salvage a positive legacy in Iraq.

So what can Bush actually do to cajole the sides into an agreement?

If the past is prologue, he can start by putting a full time, highly regarded envoy on the ground that will actually have authority and full presidential prestige. The occasional photo-op drive by visits by SecState Rice to the region is no substitute for serious Mid East shuttle diplomacy.

Additionally, Bush is going to have to secure the early and unconditional buy-in of Arab states, such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to ensure that they will bless and incubate the decisions of Mahmoud Abbas' shaky Palestinian Authority government, which will surely face threats and violence from their Gazan Hamas fraternal terror brothers to kill a deal with Israel.

Moreover, if there ever was an instance where bipartisanship could trump presidential politics in an election year, it is when the US tries to bring peace to the Middle East. Bush has a unique opportunity to forge a domestic consensus for his roll of the dice; provided that the Decider does not appear to pushing Israel into a deal that it considers indefensible from its own security vantage point.

It's a real shame that the Bush team cannot see the forest from the trees.

The entire Middle East needs a new, more thoughtful and innovative American re-engagement. Bush faces a sea of skeptics who have long given up on him. Arabs, like Americans want "Change" in U.S. policies. Given the tremendous Arab resentment toward his presidency, getting Arabs irrevocably and publicly on board the Mid East peace train will be just as difficult as dividing Jerusalem between Israel and a future Palestinian state.

But grant Bush some credit for his efforts. Given how low the bar is now set, at least he is trying to grow an olive tree rather than bulldoze one down.

Comments

[buckbuck11]

This has hardly been a peace mission. Every time I've heard the Chimp in Chief speak during his "Apocalypse Now" tour, he's been talking about how evil Iran is. Quite the contrary, he's trying to fan the flames of instability and chaos, which gives him continuing pretext to maintain a presence in the region with the ulterior motive of protecting the oil interests of his friends and family.

[bottomdwellah]

Let's see here, seven years of bellicose war and fear mongering, followed by one year of thoughtful, constuctive peacemaking? Do I have that kind of right?

[Kungfublood]

Never happened yet as it would have to begin with cutting off the funding of terrorist agressors by America and Israel is at the top of that list!

[Purple Girl]

PEACE HAS NEVER BEEN ON THIS ADMINS AGENDA!!!

Out of chaos comes order- their order.

Control the most powerful resource and you control the world.

This plan has been unfolding for decades

They have reached the summit of their efforts- it now time we help them down - with one swift kick- TREASON!! Politicians , corporations (Oil, Auto,Lenders, insur, media,health...) - CEO's, CFO's and Board memebers, past & present- orange suits and shackles- we have rooms being held for you at GITMO.

Vote for the Lil' guy whos got the only real Balls in the Campaign

KUCINCH FOR PRES
BOYCOTT MSNBC

[donjoe4]

Bush and Chaney are not leaving...

[UNCLEJOE]

The White House issued the latest Approval Rating for George JR. He gives himself a 45% Approval Rating; make that 45% with a margine of 20 point error.
Bush's last year will be trying to create an Approval Rating commensurate with that his addled brain has Decided and has already issued. Hubristicity knows no shame.

[DonsBlog]

I see CBN is already campaigning to stop Bush from supporting a two state solution. Their reporters were busy Sunday interviewing the poor illegal settlers making money building in the West Bank getting ready to make more money by moving out. Horrors, how could we force them to follow UN mandates and stop settlement growth in these areas?

I still think it was the Christian-Zionists that stopped the Road Plan in the first place. With our so called Evangelical Leaders dying off and the next elections less dependent on evangelicals, lets hope a real solution can now be sought.

[cognate]

Let Israel and the Muslims resolve their own differences.

End all foreign aid.

Bring our troops home from Iraq, Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf, and the rest of the Middle East. Do same in Korea, Germany, etc.

We are not the policeman of the world.

[deminmo]

From what I read from news sources outside the
US, countries in the Middle East especially,
they want to see Bush pull troops out of Iraq
before they will seriously consider anything
he says. And as far as Israel goes, they are
very anxious to get into Iran and take out
reactors, and anything else they can get to.
If that should happen, Bush can say he was not
the instigator, but now has to help his ally
Israel. Bush forgets I guess that the ecomomy
here and possibly Pakistan, are bigger issues.

[Justtellthetruth]

Regardless of anything else, all politics aside, I pray that Bush meets with success, any success, in his endeavors in the middle east. It's Too important to the security of the US, Israel, and much of the middle east to not support ANY real effort for ending the settlments and the Occupation.

[checkmoot]

Nothing like showing your impartiality by having your picture taken in Israel, while supposedly trying to broker a fair deal between the Israelis and Palestinians, wearing a Yarmulke. If the Palestinians thought they might have a slim shot at freedom, they know now that Slim has left town.

[MagisterLudi]

Obviously Bush is done. His credibility at zero. Most of competent diplomats either deserted his administration or were pushed out by Cheney's monomaniacal thirst for control.
He's a ro;e in search of an actor. He tried immigration reform, got blocked, tried a few other things: no takers.
OK, then there's always the every late-term President play thing:Israeli-Arab deal.
Waste of time. He's better off sitting on his Texas plantation and not irritating people around the world with his pathetic ignorance.

Clinton, the uber-intelligent President tried and ran into a wall of Arafat's pigheaded stupidity.
A lot changed since then. All for the worse.
Palestinians have no central government left; just bit-player warlords angling for Arab and international funds to embezzle or spend on weapons smuggling.
Israel's previously very strong peacenik camp was destroyed by Palestinian terrorism.
Even Israel's step of giving Gaza back to Palestinians resulted in a disaster.
Instead of taking this golden opportunity to show the world their ability to self-govern they chose war and chaos elected Taliban.. sorry... Hamas!!!
/
Never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
/
And here comes our hero: Bush... what a joke.

[sassafra]

"But grant Bush some credit for his efforts."

i will grant bush credit for wishing to improve his legacy. that is all. i do not believe for an instant that he has any concern whatsoever about peace per se as it might pertain to the warring parties.

[S1m0n]

Every lame duck goes to Jerusalem and mutters about peace, and not one of them ever accomplish a thing.

[stlrfan]

Fourth down and 12....Bush drops back......it's a hail Condi.....dropped in the endzone......Oh well let's bomb Iran.