I am still is shock, but read the speach. The Israelis just got everything you (and I) were/are asking for.
If you don't believe me, just check the response in Israel, and in the Arab world. Ariel Sharon is jubiliant. The Arabs are outraged.
This is a chess game with the end game now revealed. Arafat was just told that he and his cronies had to be replaced. Even a child can foresee that he/they will not go willingly.
Surprise, surprise: The Israelis surrounded Arafat in his compound again today, just a few hours before the President's speach. Over the weekend we had lots of leaks about how we now have the military resources in place for war in the Middle East.
Could it possibly be that we have a strategy in place? It looks to me like we thought a few moves ahead in this game.
BTW: President Bush closed by saying it was time to choose life, or choose death. He hoped they would choose life. That is an ultimatum. The Arabs will understand.
As we said in my Air Force days, "The fit is about to hit the shan."