Hello:

Bush arrived in Israel just as a terrorist rocket from Gaza crashed into an infant's bedroom in Sderot. A teenager was injured by shrapnel.

In Gaza City, several hundred Hamas supporters, chanting "Death to America," staged a protest march, burning Israeli and American flags and holding a banner depicting Bush as a snake.

When asked about Abbas, Bush said, "As to the rockets . . . my first question is going to be, 'What do you intend to do about them?'" Bush said. "I believe that he knows it's not in his interests to have people launching rockets from a part of the territory into Israel."

Huh? Does Bush really not know that Abbas doesn't control Gaza?

Bush said further, that he is holding out hope that the "stars" are finally aligned for peace talks.

Is that how he conducts foreign affairs? By the stars and looking into people eyes?? Get rid of this guy – PLEASE!

excon

Yeah, I still can't figure out how a decent president like Clinton can get impeached for getting a little action on the side. But a guy like Bush can get away with murder scot free.

The peace talk thing sounds just like more of his glib rhetoric that we all know and love.

He would have done us all a favor by learning just a little about other cultures, instead of bullying his way around and demanding results.

Its my guess that even hundreds of years from now they'll still be blowing up cars and throwing rocks all over the place.

I can't understand why Jimmy Carter and Al Gore haven't spent more time in the Middle East solving this ages old dilemma. Both of them have the Nobel Prize, right? Such talent just going to waste.

OF course his answer about rockets does apply because the thugs fore them into Israel from the West Bank also .

This whole Annapolis initiative is legacy building at it's worse. Like Clintoon's attempt at peacemaking at Camp David 2000 ,the most likely outcome will be another round of Intifada ;or something along those lines. Right now the perception is that he is interested in creating a Palestinian state regardless of what it takes. So he is attempting to shove it down Olmert's throat .

Jeremiah 6:14

To make it even dicer he also has to explain to the Israeli's what happened with that bogus and incorrect NIE about the Iranian nuclear development. Of course Israel know better than that.

excon,

All right, let's take a hypothetical situation.

Let's assume that YOU are the President of the United States (G-d forbid :) ), and you are visiting Israel. You are aware of the political situation as it curently stands. You ae also aware of your own goals with regard to the Middle East, that is to help bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Someone in the press (US or Israeli media, it doesn't matter which) asks you the following questions:

"What do you intend to say to Abbas when you meet him?"

"Why are you acting now to revive the stalled Israel/PA peace negotiations?"

How do you answer those two specific questions without causing more harm than good, and without cutting off one side or the other from future diplomatic contact? How do you answer these questions without burning your political and diplomatic bridges?

Given the current situation, Bush's responses to the press were perfectly acceptable. But if you have some other response, let's hear it.

Elliot

How does one get the middle east to agree on anything since they haven't agreed and have been fighting on everything for over 3000 years?

It's Bush's fault, like 9/11, Katrina, unemployment, disease, anger, tornados, etc.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ETWolverine

excon,



"What do you intend to say to Abbas when you meet him?"


Elliot

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“On Monday, Rice requested Congress boost aid to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah organization by another $400 million on top of a $59 million grant she pushed through last April and about $100 million per year provided to Abbas' forces in unregulated shipments of ammunition and high-powered American assault rifles.”

I would ask him what he intends to do with all those weapons and money. . :p

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dark_crow

I would ask him what he intends to do with all those weapons and money.

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Hello again, DC:

Where do you think Hamas got its weapons? Yup, they got 'em from Fattah when they dropped 'em and ran away. This, of course, is after we gave 'em to Fattah, then Hamas uses 'em against our ally, the Israeli's.

Kukoo - kukoo. Tell me Bush isn't living in La La land?

excon

Quote:

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Originally Posted by excon

Hello again, DC:

Where do you think Hamas got its weapons? Yup, they got 'em from Fattah when they dropped 'em and ran away. This, of course, is after we gave 'em to Fattah, then Hamas uses 'em against our ally, the Israeli’s.

Kukoo - kukoo. Tell me Bush isn't living in La La land?

excon

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Hay, Excon

That he is there to help make peace, sounds Ironic me.