[TexasNative2000]

But isn't it odd that in a world full of geniuses, no one has an answer?

This is the kernal of essential truth in this entire piece. We still live in a world of random and evil - not everything is programmed and predictable.

Just because a question is asked doesn't mean there must be an answer. How vain of us to think otherwise.

[america-rules]

There is an answer and it is to pressure the Arabs. For 40 years everyone has been pressuring Israel but you never see anyone (Except Conservatives) wanting pressure on the arabs and the palis.

I think I see Bush wanting to turn this around and how it works out is yet to be seen.

[another cricket]

But isn't it odd that in a world full of geniuses, no one has an answer?

There is an answer but it is not one that a civilized socity is eager to embrace. And it is not lying down quietly so the other side can cut your throat more easily.

Psalm 83 sounds about right.

a. cricket

[Dianna]

But I think we do know what the answer is! It is simply unpopular.

They must fight until one side loses. Too bad no one thought of that before nukes became common.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

You are absolutely right-that one sentence leapt out at me, also. I think most of us realize that there will probably never be peace, as we define it, in the region, just short periods of hostility cessation.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

What jumped out at me was "Buying Time".

It has the ring of truth, because that is what world leaders do in a maelstrom. Churchill's writings of his times in the early 40's are very appropriate now. He spent a great deal of effort just trying to buy time -- time to build his forces and find allies.

Bush is undoubtedly hoping that time will bring new events that will provide a more favorable environment for an outcome that is something less than Armageddon. He has always wanted to keep a lid on things (not just in this locality, but everywhere) in order to pick off enemies one by one. A major conflagration was almost certainly never in his plan, though now it looks inevitable and it will take some time (there it is again) to be prepared fully to deal with that.

Ms. Noonan is close to the administration, so what she writes here is probably closer to the truth of events, as viewed in the White House, than most any others we see daily in the press. He is probably trying to buy time. I sure hope that he is using the time bought to place irresistable force in the region to better control events should they be of the explosive type, as now appears likely.