In his first speech during his current "fence-mending" trip to Europe,
Bush Jr., aka Emperor George II, has advised his bemused and presumptive European subjects of the following...

"...Our shared commitment to democratic progress is being tested in Lebanon, a once-thriving country that now suffers under the influence of an oppressive neighbor. Just as the Syrian regime must take stronger action to stop those who support violence and subversion in Iraq, it must end its support for terrorist groups seeking to destroy the hope of peace between Israelis and Palestinians."

Bush Jr. is going ballistic about Syria departing Lebanon. Fine. Does he want Israel to get out of Syria, too? Does Bush know that Tel Aviv has formally annexed the Syrian Golan Heights and is occupying Syrian territory for decades in defiance of international law and numerous UN resolutions? If Bush knows, does he care? He may know, vaguely, but of course he doesn't care. Why should he?

What clout do the Syrians have on American domestic politics? None. What clout do Tel Aviv and its cheerleaders have in Washington? Total. For Bush, as with Bill Clinton, it is politics and nothing but politics all the time. The fact that they are leaders of different parties is irrelevant.

Notice that Bush is always careful to talk in generalities about "peace"
between Israelis and Palestinians and his "vision" of a Palestinian state.
He makes no specific suggestions to Tel Aviv regarding anything whatsoever. Bush's speech writers know what they writing. Empty rhetoric. Hot air. We all "hope" for peace, and we entertain nice visions of various sorts. What does it all mean? Absolutely nothing.

Bush's sincere "hope" for peace is that the Palestinians chew on whatever dry bone Ariel Sharon and Shimon Peres decide to throw at them. Why? Because when the Palestinians do not roll over, then Bush II, just like Bill Clinton before him, is at a dead-end. After all, what can this airhead extraordinaire do vis-à-vis Tel Aviv? Send over Likud agent Elliot Abrams to pressure Sharon? Bush and Cheney have already agreed up front to do whatever Sharon decides. They have defaulted to Sharon. Bush knows that. And so does Sharon. This is a set-up and a scandal, with Iraq blowing up in the background.