WP: Overseas Tensions Force Bush to Change Direction

[kskiska]

The latest crisis in the Middle East has disrupted President Bush's plans domestically and internationally at a sensitive juncture, reopening divisions with allies abroad and jeopardizing attempts to restore public confidence at home, according to officials, analysts and diplomats.

The discord at a conference in Rome yesterday over a proposed cease-fire in Israel and Lebanon underscored the widening gap between the United States and Europe over how to stop the fighting. And the images of mayhem from the two-week-old war, combined with the rising death toll in Iraq, have further rattled a domestic audience that polls show was already uncertain about Bush's leadership.

For the president, the timing could not be much worse. In a second term marked by one setback after another, the White House was in the midst of a rebuilding effort aimed at a political comeback before November's critical midterm elections. Now the president faces the challenge of responding to events that seem to be spinning out of control again, all but sidelining his domestic agenda for the moment and complicating his effort to rally the world to stop nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea.

The crisis imperils one of Bush's signature ambitions. This is a president who eschewed Middle East peacemaking of the past as futile, embarking instead on a grand plan to remake the region into a more democratic, peaceful place. A year ago, a wave of reform seemed to take hold. Yet today radicalism is on the rise, Iran is believed to be closer to nuclear weapons and Bush is sending thousands more troops to Baghdad to quell spiraling violence.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/26/AR2006072601815.html

[driver8]

1. You can't make a region more peaceful by killing it's people.

Seems to me that would be common sense, but not with the war criminals we have running things.

[Roland99]

9. What were Jon Stewart's words to McCain? Something like....

"How much more can the world afford him making it safer?"

[leftyladyfrommo]

35. If you kill all the Lebonese you would make them more peaceful.

I guess that is what they are trying to do to Hezbollah. Kill them all and then they won't be a problem any more.

[rodeodance]

2. Maybe if Condi had gone ona Peace mission things would work out? -but

she did not go on a peace mission.

[krkaufman]

14. Exactly. I remain baffled that no one really challenged her ...

... when she said she didn't see any value in a ceasefire, if it wasn't a permanent ceasefire. What?!? Try this on as a benefit: less people would be getting killed, resulting in a few less relatives with permanent grudges.

[Bragi]

15. Condi mounted on a very successful anti-peace mission

By shuttling around the Middle East this week, Condi was very successful in preventing diplomacy from breaking out.

Had that happened, it would have totally ruined the new war before it could achieve its... ahhh, objective, which is... ahh, rescuing two captured Israeli soldiers... errr, I mean... stopping Hesbollah rockets attacks mounted after Israel invaded lebanon... hmmm...

Can someone here help me please, instead of sitting on your arses reading this?

Oh, yeah, thanks, it's all about building a New Middle East(TM)! Yeah, that's what Condi has been saying.

Turns out Bush isn't at all keen on the old Middle East, and wants a new one, one that reflects selected excerpts someone sent him from the Federalist Papers, a new Middle East (TM) where all the Arab ragheads embrace Jeffersonian Democracy, where they give up on all that Muslim crap, and become born again Christians, and replace Hamas and Hesbollah with "The Republican Party of the New Middle East".

Yep, that's where this is all headed, for sure.

- B

[Ghost Dog]

21. Uh huh, that's where this is all headed. May I refer you to this?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2411452#2412488

[Tellurian]

34. ...

[IndianaGreen]

36. Must be Condi's "birth pangs" of the New Middle East

that was such a winner! It reminds me of Rumsfeld's "new Europe versus old Europe" asinine comment on the eve of the war in Iraq.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. This situation is the one thing beyond the reach of Karl's fingertips. n/t

[Ghost Dog]

7. Could that be because Mr. Murdoch and other media moguls

have seen some writing on the wall? - ie. a forthcoming power-shift towards the other half of the ruling party?

[fishnfla]

4. Lets just call it the "snake-bit rapture"

eot

[rodeodance]

5. This is a good summary of G-8 summit --and how the crisis pushed

aside everything.

,,,,,,But the stark difference between the pro-Israel stance in Washington and the criticism of Israel in many European and Arab capitals underlines the impact on Bush's foreign policy. Bush has labored since his reelection to mend the tattered relations with European allies following the Iraq invasion and, in the view of many analysts, had succeeded to a large extent.

He was ready to reap the benefit of this diplomacy when he left for Europe and the Group of Eight summit in St. Petersburg earlier this month, confident that he had a broad consensus with Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China to take stronger measures against Iran for defying them on its nuclear program.

By the time Bush arrived in St. Petersburg, however, the latest conflict had broken out and Iran was shoved onto the back burner. Although European leaders agreed that Hezbollah was to blame for the fighting, they condemned what they called Israel's disproportionate response and insisted on an immediate cease-fire, while Bush resisted any instant cessation of hostilities and effectively gave Israel leeway to destroy as much of Hezbollah as it could.

Moreover, the administration appeared uncertain at first how to respond, some analysts said. When the G-8 countries adopted a statement calling for consideration of an international force in southern Lebanon after hostilities end, some U.S. officials all but rejected the idea. But now it is a centerpiece of what Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is trying to accomplish.

[radfringe]

6. needs a new road map?

[MaineDem]

8. Condi is a failure

As National Security Advisor she was a failure and as our leading "diplomat" she is also failing terribly.

Symptomatic of the failed leadership of George W Bush. And the world suffers.

[Rambis]

18. Conservatism as a movement has failed

That is the message every dem should be screaming from the rooftops! Learn it, love it, embrace it!
This is from another thread but needs to be read and read again. I hope it is ok to repost it.


Conservatives had their chance: a Republican president, a Republican Congress, Republican-appointed courts—in short, the perfect environment for enacting their vision with little to stand in their way—and they failed. Should we be surprised at the level of corruption? Of course not; they don’t think government is there to serve the people, so why shouldn’t they raid it for whatever they can grab?

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/07/12/its_the_conservatism_stupid.php

[Ghost Dog]

20. Yeah, after all, 9/11 happened on her watch

as National Security Advisor.

Trouble is, the alternatives's going to be yet more thoroughly Cheney people.

[bdamomma]

37. that's what happens when you lie down with dogs

huh condi???????????

[2008]

10. OH MY GOD!!! Look at this:

(from page 2 of the same article, about halfway down the page)

Republican candidates who are already nervous about a commander in chief with approval ratings stuck in the 30s have grown wary of the impact of the latest fighting.

"It may not only intrude in the midterm elections, it could envelop them," said V. Lance Tarrance Jr., a prominent Republican consultant. On the one hand, he said, it could give Bush a chance "to demonstrate presidential leadership," and voters are often reluctant to shift leadership in a moment of crisis. On the other hand...

That just about knocked me out of my chair. Are there still any true believers who think he might "demonstrate presidential leadership" in any kind of positive way? How many crises ago was that possibility extinguished?

[donkeyotay]

25. Drunk frat boy drives country into ditch

A five-year trail strewn with failed policies and they're going to dust off "stay the course" and rally behind the president in time of war. Or, they could run on domestic policy, economic policy, foreign policy - they could point to all they've accomplished... Right. Better to sweep it all under the rug of WW III.

[faithnotgreed]

30. how they prop up such a monster is completely criminal isnt it

i also loved - "A year ago, a wave of reform seemed to take hold."

uh huh
what utter propaganda

oh and welcome to the fun of du

[Olney Blue]

11. The White House inadvertently admits it was already a failure in 2004:

"The White House sees the risk but is banking, in part, on the Democrats' history of not capitalizing on such moments. Bush advisers point to 2004, when the situation in Iraq appeared particularly dire, and yet the president won reelection and Republicans retained both houses of Congress."



And they are counting on us to screw ourselves again when we hold a winning hand! :grr:

[daleo]

31. President stole re-election

Just for the record.

[RedEarth]

12. "disrupted Bush's plans domestically"... no month-long vacation

...lol...poor george might not be able to spend the entire month of August in Crawford

[krkaufman]

13. "aimed at a political comeback"

It's like this writer is cheerleading for Bush's "political comeback." The neo-journalists just want a tidy theme around which to warp, er wrap, their stories.

[mikeytherat]

16. That dreck jumped out at you, too, huh?

"In a second term marked by one setback after another, the White House was in the midst of a rebuilding effort aimed at a political comeback before November's critical midterm elections."

Really? Gee, I must have missed that. Pray tell, Washington Post - what evidence exists to support this piffle?

mikey_the_rat

[gratuitous]

17. That, and . . .

A true "what manner of shit be this" moment when I read this: "A year ago, a wave of reform seemed to take hold." What in the wide, wide world of sports is the Post talking about?! What "wave of reform"? Where did it "take hold"? Only fools distracted by purple fingers thought anything had changed.

Oh wait, I think I just answered my questions. Never mind.

[KoKo]

19. That line jumped out at me too. What "wave of reform?" I guess we

missed that in the clutter....

[Amonester]

23. Perhaps the "wave of reform" was the "wave" that "reformed"

New Orleans? :grr:

And it seems like their "reform" there has been made "permanent" by the "Masters" of these "Journalists"...

:cry:

Edit to add: Don't they, bought-and-paid-for shills, have no shame?

[Strawman]

38. that's what's most important after all

we don't require any actual competent governance. it's all about Dimson winning a popularity contest. :sarcasm:

[MasonJar]

22. Well, it sure is a good thing that Bush refused to let Blair go to help

out since Condi had to win. What I want to know is how could Bush stop Blair? And why did Blair let him? It surely made Blair unpopular in his own country. rHey, do you remember, Poodle? You work for the country where you were elected by the people, not the idiot in D.C.

[Supersedeas]

24. the Midterm elections are WHY he is responding the way he is: Politics

[Reckon]

26. What a crock of Bu$hit..

Why would the Admin not be happy with their very own plan?

It has taken all the heat off of them and they love it.

That WaPo writer needs to get a clue.

[Doctor_J]

27. As long as he doesn't flip-flop

:eyes:

[Doctor_J]

28. Maybe Condi's piano playing is part of this new image

I wonder if they ever think of actually fixing things instead of just adjusting the lies.

[goforit]

29. May the PNAC hang themselves!

[Tellurian]

33. Political Advisors say: "Put Lipstick on this Pig" and sell it!

This quote translated means:

"You begin to expect the unexpected."

Everything we touch turns to shit!

[warrens]

32. No October surprise

You KNOW they were planning to announce they were bringing 30,000 or 40,000 troops home. Now that is not possible without making it clear that it is being done only for political purposes. Even the kool aid drinkers would see through that with the situation as it is now.

The Dems should run on just three or four issues, the first being the incompetent waging of this war, another on the creation of added danger in the Middle East due to arrogance and incompetence, the third should be the pathetic economy and tax cuts to the rich, and the fourth should be healthcare. Keep it simple and clear.

[RCinBrooklyn]

39. "Tensions"? ENOUGH with soft pedaling war and genocide. Jeez! n/t