Bush "Confident" Of Mideast Peace In 2008

Upbeat President Says Palestinian, Israeli Leaders Have Ability, Desire To Reconcile

(CBS/AP)  President Bush, summing up meetings with both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, said Thursday that a peace accord will require "painful political concessions by both sides." Resolving the status of Jerusalem will be tough, he said, and he called for the end of the "occupation" of Arab land by the Israeli military.

"Now is the time to make difficult choices," he said after a first-ever visit to the Palestinian territories, which followed meetings with Israeli leaders in Jerusalem the day before.

The president outlined U.S. expectations for the resolution of some of the hardest issues in the violent conflict, one of the world's longest-running and most intractable.

Mr. Bush said that disputed territory must be mutually negotiated, but he said "any agreement will require adjustments" to the borders drawn for Israel in the late 1940s. He was referring to Israeli neighborhoods on disputed lands that Israel would keep when an independent Palestinian state is formed.

At the same time, Mr. Bush reiterated that any viable Palestinian state must be "contiguous," saying Palestinians deserve better than a "Swiss cheese" state.

Mr. Bush offered no specifics to resolve the fact of a disputed Jerusalem, but urged both sides to work toward a solution.

"I know Jerusalem is a tough issue," Mr. Bush said.

Mr. Bush is in the Mideast for eight days, trying to bolster his goal of achieving a long-elusive Mideast peace accord by the end of his presidency.

Earlier Thursday in a joint appearance with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Mr. Bush predicted that a Mideast peace treaty would be completed by the time he leaves office. He said he's convinced that both Israeli and Palestinian leaders understand "the importance of democratic states living side by side" in peace.

"I am confident that with proper help, the state of Palestine will emerge." Mr. Bush told Abbas. "And I'm confident when it emerges, it will be a major step toward peace. I am confident that the status quo is unacceptable, Mr. President, and we want to help you."

Abbas, standing alongside Mr. Bush, called on Israel to fulfill its commitments to a Mideast peace plan, and said he hopes "this will be the year for the creation of peace."

Also Thursday, Mr. Bush named U.S. Air Force Gen. William Fraser to oversee compliance with U.S.-backed peace plan known as the "roadmap," a U.S. official said.

CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante reports Mr. Bush's visit has also been met with skepticism from the Israeli public. Both sides view Olmert and Abbas as weak leaders, and the U.S. president as a lame duck.

The U.S. is perceived in the Palestinian areas as a staunch ally of Israel, at the expense of the Palestinians, but Abbas said Mr. Bush's visit "gives our people great hope," Abbas said.

President Bush stood next to Abbas during the news conference directly beneath a portrait of his late nemesis, Yasser Arafat, CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer reports.

The picture of a grinning Arafat is positioned just to the left of the presidential podium. Arafat is buried near the Palestinian government compound where Mr. Bush conferred with Palestinian officials.

The U.S. leader always shunned any contacts with Arafat. Thursday, notes Maer, Mr. Bush was closer to the late PLO leader in death than he ever was when Arafat was alive.

Mr. Bush's three-day visit to Israel and the West Bank is geared toward showing support for renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks following seven years of violence.

The president said he expects both Israelis and Palestinians to "honor their obligations under the road map" peace plan, and that Israelis should help the Palestinians modernize their security forces.

The road map calls on Israel to halt settlement activity in the West Bank, while requiring the Palestinians to dismantle militant groups. Neither side has fully carried out its obligations.

"In order for there to be lasting peace, President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert have to come together and make tough choices," Mr. Bush said. "And I'm convinced they will. And I believe it's possible - not only possible, I believe it's going to happen - that there be a signed peace treaty by the time I leave office. That's what I believe."

The president described the current round of negotiations as an opportunity to move toward a day when there will be two democracies - Israel and a Palestinian state - living alongside one another in peace. "It is in the interest not only of the Palestinians and Israelis but of the world," Mr. Bush said.

"We can stay stuck in the past, which will yield nothing good for the Palestinians in my judgment," he said. "We can chart a hopeful future."

Mr. Bush's travels through the Mideast do not include a stop in Gaza, which is controlled by the militant group Hamas, which the U.S. considers a terrorist group. The split in Palestinian governance - with Hamas controlling the Gaza Strip and Abbas controlling the West Bank - has divided the Palestinian people. Gaza and the West Bank lie on opposite sides of Israel.

Hamas has "delivered nothing but misery" to Palestinians living in Gaza, Mr. Bush said, adding that he doesn't know whether the West Bank-led government of Abbas can resolve the Palestinian division this year.

Earlier today, heavy fog in the West Bank gave President Bush an unscheduled, close-up glimpse of the frustrations faced daily by Palestinians.

Instead of taking a helicopter to his talks in Ramallah, the president was driven from Jerusalem by motorcade. At one point he passed through a security checkpoint and drove within sight of the separation barrier despised by Palestinians.

Mr. Bush later quipped that the dozens of vehicles in his motorcade made it through without being stopped. But he added, he's "not so exactly sure that's what happens to the average person."

When he was asked later about the 30-minute drive, the president acknowledged the indignities faced by Palestinians trying to get from place to place. He mentioned the case of a man held up for hours by Israeli security even though he was a Palestinian peace negotiator.

Mr. Bush noted that the checkpoints "create a sense of security for Israel," but he said "they create massive frustration for the Palestinians."

[samsel3]

Russia is the second largest supplier of oil on the planet, the Saudis are number one. After Saddam was removed they lost one of there sources and moved to Iran to fill the void. In exchange they also negotiated contracts to build multiple nuclear power plants in Iran. Russia is well aware of the Cheney plan for the Casapian Sea pipeline which will be cheaper to build if the US goes through Iran. Iran does not want to negotiate with the US on this pipeline. Cheney wants regime change, but Russia does not because it''s not in there economic interest. Thats the real deal !
Russia reneged on contracts with BP oil UK for new Siberian wells and also renegotiated contracts for existing BP production wells in Russia for less money. BP was not happy and teamed up with US oil interests for the Caspian Pipeline deal now under construction.

[samsel3]

Nothing has changed on Iran. The administrations interest in Iran & nukes is a smoke screen for their real agenda. Their true interests are Cheney''s energy policy.Condi Rice is a former board member of Chevron Oil and mouthpiece for the administrations energy policy. Part of that policy is the The Caspian Sea pipeline which will go through Turkmenistan, Afghanistan,Pakistan, to the gulf of Oman and on to India & Nepal.It will be cheaper to construct if they can go through Iran, but regime change is necessary first. The Caspian sea area holds one third of the world''s oil and south asian oil markets are their target market. This pipeline was also the reason for the Afghanistan invasion. Cheney''s energy policy is the root of all these middle east wars, a federal court judge sealed all documents associated with it for the administration, and the national media are not allowed to discuss or comment on it. More troops are needed in Afghanistan to protect the contractors building the pipeline. Iran stands in the way of total control of global oil now with sales of oil to China''s Sinopec Oil,deal signed Dec.10,2007. Months ago China said there would be dire consequences if the US interfered with there direct oil contracts with Iran. Both parties in the Congress should be very concerned with China''s growing war machine and need for oil. They are the real threat & the administration doesn''t care they are in control ! All that matters to them is BIG OIL and their corporate stock portfolios

[iceman_1960]

"And I just lost total respect for you by the way. You were one of the few atheists who actually spoke to me with some kind of courtesy on here, but now you"ve lowered yourself to the level of some of these others on here who have nothing better to do but to lie about someone and put words into their mouth that I don"t say..."
- Posted by singinrick at 06:26 AM : Jan 11, 2008

That post was intended to paraphrase what you had said. I shouldn"t have used quotation marks, or else indicated that with a "[paraphrase]".



...But I knew you wouldn"t respect me in the morning.

[samsel3]

Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline Co. major Israeli oil company needs more crude and this is why the Turkey Israeli pipelines are going to be built......From there corporate site some info..".One of the reasons that triggered this project was the assumption that part of the crude oil produced in Russia, the Central Asian Republics or in the Caucasus and loaded at Black Sea ports can be marketed at competitive prices for distribution in Southern Asia and the Far East".
One million barrels per day capacity for the Eilat Ashkelon pipeline where tankers are filled at the Red Sea port for transport to Asian markets. Currently tankers are unloaded at Ashkelon and pumped through Israel to Eilat a Red Sea terminal. The Turkey Israel pipelines project will save tanker transport costs to Ashkelon and increase market share for Caspian Sea oil. This is the purpose behind the Bush peace talks!

[samsel3]

January 9, 2007 Bush met with the president of Turkey on the 10th he was in Israel. The connection is the Turkey Israeli pipelines, the real purpose of the recent middle east peace summit . The actual story is the proposed oil pipelines that will be built down the coast from Turkey to Israel. Condi Rice is trying to broker this deal. BP oil, US oil interests and the Saudis all have a stake in that pipeline. Domonique Strauss- Khan managing director of the International Monetary Fund and Robert Zoellick president of the World Bank were in attendance. Big money won''t finance the venture without stability in the region.
In the Daily telegraph, July 22, 2006 Condoleeza Rice stated her main objective in the middle east was not to push a ceasefire in Lebanon, but to cause an isolation of Syria and Iran. The strategic objective is all tied to oil and oil pipelines. In April of 2006 Israel & Turkey made their announcement which included four pipelines which will bypass Syria & Lebanon. The source of the oil is the BTC pipeline from the Caspian Sea Region. Shareholders in the BTC pipeline are: British Petroleum, AzBTC, Chevron, Statoil, TPAO, ENI, Total, Itochu, INPEX, Conoco-Phillips & Amerada Hess. Another very important factor on the war with Lebanon is that Israel will have a strategic role in protecting the pipeline and transportation corridor out of Ceyhan Turkey. The strategy will weaken Russian oil''s role in central asia and also isolate Iran.

[iceman_1960]

All our cookies are busy assisting other callers.

Please stay on the line for the next available cookie.

[samsel3]

January 9, 2007 Bush met with the president of Turkey on the 10th he was in Israel. The connection is the Turkey Israeli pipelines, the real purpose of the recent middle east peace summit . The actual story is the proposed oil pipelines that will be built down the coast from Turkey to Israel. Condi Rice is trying to broker this deal. BP oil, US oil interests and the Saudis all have a stake in that pipeline. Domonique Strauss- Khan managing director of the International Monetary Fund and Robert Zoellick president of the World Bank were in attendance. Big money won''''t finance the venture without stability in the region.
In the Daily telegraph, July 22, 2006 Condoleeza Rice stated her main objective in the middle east was not to push a ceasefire in Lebanon, but to cause an isolation of Syria and Iran. The strategic objective is all tied to oil and oil pipelines. In April of 2006 Israel & Turkey made their announcement which included four pipelines which will bypass Syria & Lebanon. The source of the oil is the BTC pipeline from the Caspian Sea Region. Shareholders in the BTC pipeline are: British Petroleum, AzBTC, Chevron, Statoil, TPAO, ENI, Total, Itochu, INPEX, Conoco-Phillips & Amerada Hess. Another very important factor on the war with Lebanon is that Israel will have a strategic role in protecting the pipeline and transportation corridor out of Ceyhan Turkey. The strategy will weaken Russian oil''s role in central asia and also isolate Iran.

[formrusmcsgt]

This hegemonic warmongerer dubya, now dons the mantle of peacemaker.

Hilarious.

He will be as successful in this endeavor as he''s been with his two never-ending wars.

[samsel3]

One million barrels per day capacity for the Eilat Ashkelon pipeline where tankers are filled at the Red Sea port for transport to Asian markets. Currently tankers are unloaded at Ashkelon and pumped through Israel to Eilat a Red Sea terminal. The Turkey Israel pipelines project will save tanker transport costs to Ashkelon and increase market share for Caspian Sea oil. This is the purpose behind the Bush peace talks!

[samsel3]

Eilat-Ashkelon Pipeline Co. major Israeli oil company needs more crude and this is why the Turkey Israeli pipelines are going to be built......From there corporate site some info..".One of the reasons that triggered this project was the assumption that part of the crude oil produced in Russia, the Central Asian Republics or in the Caucasus and loaded at Black Sea ports can be marketed at competitive prices for distribution in Southern Asia and the Far East".

[searingtruth]

"I am not religious, but I believe that Jesus Christ would have made a wonderful American. It is to his shame that so many who purport to follow him do not."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[searingtruth]

"Justice is simple. Beware of those who declare it is not."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[samsel3]

January 9, 2007 Bush met with the president of Turkey on the 10th he was in Israel. The connection is the Turkey Israeli pipelines, the real purpose of the recent middle east peace summit . The actual story is the proposed oil pipelines that will be built down the coast from Turkey to Israel. Condi Rice is trying to broker this deal. BP oil, US oil interests and the Saudis all have a stake in that pipeline. Domonique Strauss- Khan managing director of the International Monetary Fund and Robert Zoellick president of the World Bank were in attendance. Big money won''t finance the venture without stability in the region.
In the Daily telegraph, July 22, 2006 Condoleeza Rice stated her main objective in the middle east was not to push a ceasefire in Lebanon, but to cause an isolation of Syria and Iran. The strategic objective is all tied to oil and oil pipelines. In April of 2006 Israel & Turkey made their announcement which included four pipelines which will bypass Syria & Lebanon. The source of the oil is the BTC pipeline from the Caspian Sea Region. Shareholders in the BTC pipeline are: British Petroleum, AzBTC, Chevron, Statoil, TPAO, ENI, Total, Itochu, INPEX, Conoco-Phillips & Amerada Hess. Another very important factor on the war with Lebanon is that Israel will have a strategic role in protecting the pipeline and transportation corridor out of Ceyhan Turkey. The strategy will weaken Russian oil''s role in central asia and also isolate Iran.

[samsel3]

One million barrels per day capacity for the Eilat Ashkelon pipeline where tankers are filled at the Red Sea port for transport to Asian markets. Currently tankers are unloaded at Ashkelon and pumped through Israel to Eilat a Red Sea terminal. The Turkey Israel pipelines project will save tanker transport costs to Ashkelon and increase market share for Caspian Sea oil. This is the purpose behind the Bush peace talks!

[closethippy1]

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

Dr. Nahum Goldmann, President of the World Jewish Congress, wrote the following in a 1974 article titled "The Original Sin":
"...If we had invested in the Arab problem a tenth of the energy, the passion, the ingenuity, the resourcefulness which we developed in order to gain the support of Britain, France, the US and Weimar Germany, our destiny in the development of Israel may have been quite different... We were not ready for compromises; we did not regard it as a major problem... We did not make sufficient efforts to get, if not the full agreement of the Arabs, at least their acquiescence to a Jewish state, which I think would have been possible. That was the original sin."

Whatever else any supporter of Israel has to say is just bravado and propaganda.

[searingtruth]

"Peace is simple.
We need only desire it more than war."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[bluestardad]

great post last dance...

[searingtruth]

"Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of the dot on scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner of the dot. How frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity -- in all this vastness -- there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.
Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot"


A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[searingtruth]

"Half an apple was offered, rotted.
Those who would not eat it were killed."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[spires01]

You are spot on lastdance7....Good job on your research....