Carol, I find it hard to credit Bush's sudden interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as anything other than a serious screw-up. It was Bush who originally decided to disengage from the peace process, whereupon the violence -- always simmering -- immediately boiled over. (Anything Clinton was involved in was BAD, right???)

Nor do I think his eagerness to bomb the hell out of Muslim countries worries the Israelis one bit. We're not going to harm the hair of a single Israeli head... no matter how many Palestinians have to die to ensure that. American knows it, Europe knows it, Israeli knows it, and you can bet the Palestinians know it, but as usual they will try ANY path to peace that gets offer -- no matter how slim -- because they have no other options.

His current involvement is not an achievement, it's recognition of a drastic and deadly mistake that has cost the lives of Israelis and Palestinians alike. You'll never hear him admit he was wrong -- but I betcha he knows it, even if someone had to tell him.

So he can talk the talk. I don't think he has the attention span to see the process through the rest of his term or terms anyway. Anyone in the White House mention the festering sore Afghanistan is turning into (again) lately?