I think that Bush has better instincts than any previous president with regard to the Middle East; he refuses to meet with Arafat and has taken an enormous gamble with his vision for Iraq as the poster child for a democratic Arab country.
Whether it suceeds or not, Bush has broken from the mold of the past of endless negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis. He is attempting to sweep the proverbial rug out from under the Arabs and remodel the Middle East in a way that hasn't been attempted in 100 years.
This is what will either suceed or fail; not more aid, but the choice for democracy. If the Arabs take the bait, investment, not aid will follow.
If it fails, then Fortress Israel will be necessary and a kind of quarantine of the Arab world.
It seems that we are taking a huge risk with this Iraq war. GWB is trying to head off what is clearly developing into a clash of civilizations between Islam and Christianity. I believe his hope is that we can apply enough penicillin to the Iraq infection to avert a future catastrophe. If we can start the growth of open and democratic institutions in the Mideast in Iraq and if it spills over to Iran, Syria and even Saudi Arabia, then there is a possibility that this future clash of civilizations can be averted.
Unfortunately I am not optimistic. There just seems to be too many forces that are against this idea, all for their own selfish reasons. Frankly I have to admit when I watch Fox and see the pictures of our finest who have given the ultimate; it is easy to think it all a waste. I hope I am wrong.