Foreign policy is in the hands of the executive branch. Therefore he doesn't have to worry about Rats, or whether he has enough votes.
Apparently you see legislative compromise (which Reagan also believed in) as evil and "caving." I can't help you on that point...you just need to understand politics better.
I don't think the Taliban felt that President Bush compromised, and I imagine that the Palestinians are thinking long and hard.
This has everything to do with the Executive Branch/State Department, and little or nothing to do with working with the Legislative Branch of our government.
I don't agree that just because he has COMPROMISED on other legislation, there is any reason to believe he will now. That's YOUR premise.
(As an aside, can you name ONE national leader who asn't compromised?)
Since it is a FACT that President Bush has in past, comprimised on policies he has presented; Why do you NOT expect President Bush to water down through comprimise with vested interests, the conditions he uses in this latest Middle-East policy announcement?
No one can predict the future and what other people will or won't do but today, President Bush made the U.S. position regarding the Palestinian leadership clear - it has to go. I won't bother to retype the president's speech, you can read it again for yourself as you seem to have missed a lot.
Now, you can claim that as a politician, President Bush may change some aspects of the requirements he laid out today for U.S. support of a Palestinian state and castigate him all day for what he might do but most of us on FR, with the exception of the DU trolls and 24/7 Bushbashers, believe the simple requirements he put forth today will be held to. As was already pointed out, The President doesn't need to appease Democrats or anyone else with foreign policy positions.
My analysis is that this was a great speech that clearly laid out a 'path for peace'. I also fear that it will be ignored by most Palestinians. I seriously doubt the leadership of the Palestinians will change or that they will be able to stop the hard-core terrorists from continued suicide bombing of Israeli citizens. So be it. Israel will continue to defend itself. The door to real peace is open. Maybe things can change if there is hope and Bush offered that hope to the Palestinian people. Should they reject it, the onus is on them, not Israel, not the United States.
I don't see a lot of wiggle room for the Palestinians here. President Bush was forthright and clear in what is required but he made the point that ultimately, only the Palestinians and the Israelis can end the conflict. The Israelis have upheld every agreement they've made with the Palestinians. The reward was suicide bombings of innocent Israelis. Will this time be different? Well, the Palestinians are required to lose Arafat, form a new government and many other acts that have been foreign to them, up until now. That could change but if it doesn't Israel has the will and the power to destroy much of the terrorist organizations in their midst, and they will. Should the Palestinians 'choose death', as Bush so beautifully stated the truth, they will receive it and no help from the U.S.
You seem to desire to make President Bush a liar before the fact, based on former domestic policy switches. That's your option but this speech and what it laid out for peace was outstanding, no matter your reservations and asides and endless calls to 'answer' your loaded question. Why we need to respond to yet another anonymous Bushbasher is a mystery but in any case you've now been answered.
Of cousre I expect you to sneeringly disagree but at least stop those silly demands to 'ANSWER #375' as if you've discovered the President kissing Arafat and have pictures to prove it.
I must say the lame attempts to find something, anything, wrong with this speech or the Presidents position is sad on a conservative website but then, some folks seem to have a need for a Goldman every day of their lives. This is the wrong day to be bashing this good and reasonable President with snide comments but that never stopped the bashers in the past. After all, his name is Bush. That's about all it takes.
To the long-time G.W. supporters here, I thank you and join you when time and blood pressure allow. This is a good day for President Bush, the United States, Israel and possibly even the Palestinians. It's a bd day for Arafat.
I'm pleased.
I don't believe this is capitulation anyhow. This is Israel's war. We are simply playing the role of 'trusted advisor' to Israel- just as they did to us after 9-11.
I will go on record (as I have before about the Mideast situation) that if Bush backtracks, it will be the third thing I have vehemently disagreed with him about. But I don't think that will happen.