[nicollo]

This roadmap will not fly because the Palestinians will not abandon their use of terrorism to accomplish their long-stated goal of destroying the Isreali state. All this roadmap will accomplish is to once again demonstrate this.

That's why terrorism is the first pit stop on the course. It's both the out and the pressure on the PA. Bush can walk saying they didn't comply. The danger is not that the PA doesn't comply, it's that the Administration accepts half-measures. This not being the Clintoon years, I think it's a reasonable expectation that this reality on the PA will prevail. If it doesn't, the President has a legitimate and convenient back door.

This will work.

I predicted the week after Sept 11 that it will end with a Nobel for Bush or Powell, most likely Powell. I stand by that prediction and I see it more certain than ever. It will be the first Nobel to mean something in ages.

[dmeara]

That's why terrorism is the first pit stop on the course. It's both the out and the pressure on the PA. Bush can walk saying they didn't comply. The danger is not that the PA doesn't comply, it's that the Administration accepts half-measures. This not being the Clintoon years, I think it's a reasonable expectation that this reality on the PA will prevail. If it doesn't, the President has a legitimate and convenient back door.

Agreed. This is a clever continuation of administration policy as laid out by President Bush in a speech last year. It puts the onus squarely on the PA, but will not result in a Palestinian state, or necessarily peace in the region for the foreseeable future.

There is a pattern here. They are making the Palestinians an offer they cannot and will not accept, much as they did to the Taliban when they asked them to cough up Al Qaeda, and to Saddam when they demanded unfettered weapons inspections.

It will only work to reveal the intransigence of the Palestinian position.