[Sabertooth]

When Mr Bush came to office last year, it was immediately made clear that the United States would play a much-reduced role in trying to achieve a peaceful settlement in the region and that the President would not expend the sort of personal and political capital that the previous president, Bill Clinton, had. A series of initiatives aimed at attempting to bring both sides together was terminated.

Good.

It's time Jordan lubed and oiled those Welcome Wagons.

[Torie]

One of the benefits of empire is that the US is the one nation that can really ignore the international mood when it deems it right to do so.

I notice that all the international voices had nothing constructive to offer. "Pulling back" without offering an alternative that leads to the end of the slaughter of Israeli civilians is not constructive. Thus I offer the wall, and suggest a pull back except to the extent necessary to secure that. That and the condon sanitaire of all Arabs from Israel that are non-resident.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Though Mr Arafat has repeatedly condemned the spate of suicide bombings,...