Now we know where Bush gets his marching orders from:

[Theophylact]

As this article in Ha'aretz says, direct from The Big Guy Himself:

According to Abbas, immediately thereafter Bush said: "God told me to strike at al Qaida and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did, and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East. If you help me I will act, and if not, the elections will come and I will have to focus on them."

In coming months, Bush will realize the foolhardiness of this Road Map.

I am not cynical but I can't imagine Bush creating an environment conducive enough for Arabs and Jews to sit and work this out.

There's too much bad blood, suspicion, mistrust and centuries of hostilities for a permanent peace settlement in our lifetimes.

This is just Bush's arrogance when he thinks he'll settle this issue. I doubt he even knows the complete history of the conflict and its genesis. Or has the time and patience and perspective to fully absorb it.

Bush will (or Karl Rove will) slowly and surreptiously distance themselves from this so called Road Map.

Another instance of a ludicurous initiative from Bush.

[jokostel]

[Toadman]

Arrogance? Man you are on a roll lately, Shahani!

At least ONE country gives a s**t and is attempting to mediate a peaceful settlement before the entire region/city is turned into glass. Can't say we didn't try. The UN is powerless.
Maybe we should let them just slaughter themselves?

You think the powerfull Jewish lobby in this country has any interest?

Yup. Typical. Blame it on the Jews.

[Chuckiechan]

Optimism is what makes America work.

Just what is wrong with trying?

Nothing wrong with trying. I hope this is resolved because it will pave the way for greater peace initiatives in the Middle East. And save a lot of innocent Palestine and Israeli citizens from getting murdered by the terrorist actions of their respective governments.

I only commented on Bush's arrogance in assuming he can resolvethis a complex, age-old conflict. Just struck me as funny.

[M_Six]

Bush is only doing what every other President for the past two decades has done (or tried to do). I wish him better luck, but the track record of American diplomacy in the Middle East is abysmal. I don't fault American foreign policy entirely. There are core groups on both sides of the Middle East conflict who know no other way but killing and revenge. They do not want peace, and until those core groups are eliminated, on both sides, the killing will go on.

[Epidemic]

Well the road map is moving in the right direction again
3month cease fire by israel and hamas. I am not all that hopefull but it is a movement in the right direction. My guess is that the enemies of peace not associated with the big players will step up their attacks to insure israeli retalliation. I can only hope that israel will absorb the attacks with out response. At least after 3 months of unanswered attacks we will know that the catalyst is in the circle of violence.