I think you are "misunderestimating" Bush.
EXCERPT:
Middle East Road Map – A Small Inset on US Postwar Atlas
DEBKAfile Special Analysis
What has led Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to fit unreservedly into America’s geo-strategic box for the postwar Middle East? What has President George W. Bush promised him for saying yes to the Middle East road map, a document that no one except its authors believes in? What role is assigned the Palestinians? And how much will it cost Israel?
Sharon was offered three main incentives:
First – America’s systematic disarmament of Israel’s most dangerous enemies has been built into the Bush master-plan – Iraq first; shortly, an attempt to dissolve Iran’s nuclear weapons option (see separate article on this page), followed by steps to eliminate Syria’s missile systems and weapons of mass destruction and the Hizballah’s military capabilities. In the long term, Washington will almost certainly aim at cutting short the development of Egyptian and Libyan N-bombs.
The United States is sweeping all these threats from its borders without Israel needing to deploy a single soldier or fire a single shot. For this saving of Israeli military life and limb, no words can do ample justice. Without any expenditure of its own military and economic resources, Israel may find itself in three or four years liberated from all its next-door enemies for the first time in its history.
Second – The prospect of Yasser Arafat’s eclipse on the international and Palestinian stage. The United States has acquired a new partner for the job of tightening the noose of isolation around the terror master’s neck – Saudi Arabia. (More about this below)
Third – Sharon has been assured by the Bush White House – though not publicly – that Washington will back him in resisting any attempt to include the return of the 1948 Palestinian refugees in a final-status accord. Washington also promises to go along with leaving the main Jewish settlement blocks in place on the West Bank.
http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=494 I think your posts are dead on...... there's no 'compromising' when it comes to Bush's 'strategy' and words are just that - words.
Bush I asked Israel to refreain from involvement in the first Gulf war - for a reason. And, after being breifed on the USA plans to deal with Iraq and how much damage we intended to inflict on Iraq and virtually decimate their ability to attack Israel (and others in the region), they accepted the role of bystander.
Here, the Isralies are "hearing" Bush II once again, and recognizing a strategy that most seem not to even care to explore. The PA will hang themselves and the roadmap will die, but meanwhile we'll continue on with Syria and others to minimize threats to Israel - and Israel knows this. And this is why Sharron is taking the position he is.
And there's so much more - but you articulated it well. Thanks.
B.