Bush, Olmert To Talk Iran, Mideast Peace

With Israeli Leader Stewing In Political Scandal, He'll Urge Bush To Get Tougher On Iran

(CBS/AP)  Israel's fears that Iran could obtain nuclear weapons and the Israeli government's attempts to negotiate peace with the Palestinians and Syria are top agenda items when Israel's beleaguered prime minister, Ehud Olmert, meets President Bush.

The most pressing issue for Wednesday's talks, however, might not even be openly discussed: Olmert's deteriorating political situation back home, where his popularity has nosedived because of a new corruption scandal and where the end of his term is largely seen as just a matter of time.

Those developments are jeopardizing Mr. Bush's already ambitious timetable for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement by year's end and are making it unlikely that Mr. Bush or Olmert will be able to shepherd the process to completion.

For Olmert, a friendly meeting with a stalwart ally like President Bush is a marked change from what he left behind in Israel, where his political allies are conspicuously refusing to come to his defense and jostling for his job.

Topping the list of discussion points at the Bush-Olmert meeting is Iran, a prime concern for both countries, though each has a different intelligence assessment on the state of Iran's nuclear program. Israel believes that Iran has not suspended its nuclear weapons program, despite a report to the contrary by U.S. intelligence.

"I think they both made their points very clear, and Israel has made it clear that they think ... that intelligence is wrong, and that Iran is still pursuing a nuclear weapon," White House press secretary Dana Perino said ahead of the meeting.

Israel's largest Hebrew-language daily newspaper, Yediot Ahronot, reported Wednesday that Olmert would urge Mr. Bush to "step up American and international action against Iran and to prepare for a possible military operation against its nuclear facilities."

Yediot is a widely respected newspaper with close contacts in Olmert's administration.

The paper reported that, according to official sources, Olmert "would tell the president that the measures taken up until now had run their course and had not yielded results. Data and evaluations presented by the Israeli intelligence community to the U.S. administration in recent months disprove the American evaluation made public a few months ago."

A separate column appearing in Yediot Wednesday by one of Israel's foremost political commentators said "the big question hovering over the visit is whether Bush wishes and is able to impose a military action against Iran on his defense establishment, on the majority in Congress and on public opinion."

The answer given by columnist Nahum Barnea, in short: No. "Almost everything is working against it. The Iranians are not threatening the United States. They are taking care not to cause an incident which would give the Americans a pretext for attacking them. For such an attack there is no international support, not at least in public, and the main thing is that after the entanglement in Iraq, a majority of Americans are opposed to opening another front in the Middle East and regard any military initiative by Bush with suspicion."

Israeli papers also have reported that Olmert will be promised a sophisticated U.S. missile defense system, advanced radar and new warplanes.

CBS News Tel Aviv bureau chief Gaby Silon says it's important to bear in mind the importance to Olmert - struggling to get media attention for anything other than his corruption scandal - of intense coverage related to Iran.

"Newspaper reports about him working hard at one of the biggest problems facing Israel is good news for him," says Silon. "The Iranian nuclear threat is one of very few issues on which most Israelis agree: It cannot be allowed to develop."

"Hearing support on this from an American president is something that Israelis like, even though it is hard to imagine what Olmert can tell president Bush today that is different from what he told him in their meeting in Jerusalem just last month," Silon added.

In an indication of what Olmert is likely to tell Mr. Bush, the Israeli prime minister told thousands of Israel supporters at the annual convention of the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Tuesday that the Iranian threat "must be stopped by all possible means."

Olmert said international sanctions aimed at stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons must be ratcheted up urgently, and he suggested measures like banning Iranian businessmen and financial transactions and imposing sanctions on Iran's crucial import of gasoline.

Olmert said the world should see that "the long-term cost of a nuclear Iran greatly outweighs the short-term benefits of doing business with Iran."

But sanctions are "only an initial step," and Iran's flouting of the international measures so far "leave no doubt as to the urgent need for more drastic and robust measures," Olmert said.

He is also expected to discuss with Mr. Bush Israel's peace negotiations with the Palestinians and with Syria, according to Olmert spokesman Mark Regev.

Israel renewed peace talks with Syria last month without the involvement of the U.S., which has tried to isolate the Syrian regime. Syria's president said in interviews published Tuesday in the United Arab Emirates that the U.S. would have to become involved if the process is to succeed.

But while it is not a party to the Syria talks, the Bush administration has become deeply involved in Israel-Palestinian peace negotiations. Mr. Bush set the target for a peace agreement at the end of the year, saying Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are the right people to lead a historic compromise.

But the Bush administration now seems aware that Olmert could be on his way out. The Israeli-Palestinian peace process "is bigger than any one person, and that we're going to continue to work on it, despite what may or may not be happening in Israeli political circles," Perino said.

Speaking to the AIPAC lobby's annual conference, Olmert made only one oblique reference to his domestic woes, mentioning that he briefly considered calling off his visit to the U.S. because of "the recent political developments in Israel of which you are aware."

Olmert was addressing the group of powerful American Israel supporters just as his relationship with one such supporter threatens to ignominiously end his term in office. The testimony of New York businessman Morris Talansky, who claims to have given Olmert envelopes stuffed with cash over a decade and a half, in part to fund a lavish lifestyle, has thrown Israel's political system into turmoil.

Olmert's key coalition partner, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, now says he will topple the government if Olmert does not step aside. And Olmert's rivals in his Kadima Party, including his popular deputy, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, are jostling for position and gearing up for party primaries.

[trishab4]

The only way that this condition can be achieved is by an overwhelming blitz against Hamas, Hizballah and Iran. This would re establish Israel''''s deterrence and US dominance and place the Palestinian Authority back in control of all Palestine. The militias in Iraq and Palestine would be deprived of their chief sources of support and be mortally wounded at the same time. The US and Israel will be placed in a position of strength to dictate a peace.
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Posted by wolf563 at 08:39 AM : Jun 05, 2008

-Leave them alone and they''ll acheive a peace of their own! Don''t you understand? All their history long it''s been like that, and it''s been relatively kids peaceful compared with the atrocities and genocides commited by/among ourselves in Europe in WW1 and more recently WW2. Stop intefering into their policies with imagination and fairytales translated into rules from the BuyBull.

[telecom_1]

Iranian Police Chief of Vice Jailed After Being Caught Nude With 6 Naked Women in Tehran House of Prostitution--

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351301,00.html

[wolf563]

Israel is desperate to re establish it''s military dominance and deterrent power in the region. Syria wants the Golan back. Hamas wants to be the government of all Palestine. Hizballah wants control of Lebanon. Iran wants to lead the Muslim world. The US wants to control the energy resources to guarantee their future in the world. This is a recipe for war. God''s word tells us that Peace and Safety will appear to have been achieved by the end time . The only way that this condition can be achieved is by an overwhelming blitz against Hamas, Hizballah and Iran. This would re establish Israel''s deterrence and US dominance and place the Palestinian Authority back in control of all Palestine. The militias in Iraq and Palestine would be deprived of their chief sources of support and be mortally wounded at the same time. The US and Israel will be placed in a position of strength to dictate a peace.

[noloyalisti]

Reagan was interested in diplomacy as was George H. What happened to the collective brain of the GOP? Oh yeah, they got the puppet GW bushoccio to do the bidding of the oil companies and war profiteers.

[deacon20081]

If Israel wants to attack Iran.....they can go it ALONE. We are not here to fight their wars because they are too inept to fight on their own.

[trishab4]

Bush and his master discussing when we should move the Capitol to Jerusalem.

Heck that''''s where our foreign policies are made and our war plans drawn up.
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Posted by jerr11 at 01:34 PM : Jun 04, 2008

-right on jerr11.

[bikerb54]

Bush doesn''t want peace in the Middle East. He''d lose money and connections with the Saudi''s if we did.

Read what was just announced on ABC news website. Our military just awarded an $80 million contract for jet fuel for our bases in Afghanistan from a company owned by a Saudi businessman with connections to Al Qaeda. This man is also being sought by the US Justice department.
He was also an investor in GW''s first business venture, Arbusto energy. Why is Bush still running our country? Because it is another business venture that when it goes bust, he can claim it on his taxes.

Has he ever had OUR best interest at heart? Don''t think so. Get him out now. don''t wait until January, 2009. The way things are going, we are going to lose if we wait.

[ici2i]

Is it possible that the WWIII will actually begin not only in our lifetimes but in the next six months while the village idiot still has executive privelege? Is it possible that those in the past were right all along; that the middle east conflict and specifically Isreal & the Muslims unwillingness to get along with one another will lead to the end of the world? I''m beginning to agree with those who have said that the creation of the state of Isreal was a mistake; I say this because they are now encouraging a pre-emptive strike and want to drag us along with them. This is all crazy talk!

[hhroams]

OLMERT AND BUSH TALKING IS LIKE A GAGGLE OF GEESE.
BOTH ARE LAME DUCKS---OLMERT WILL BE INDICTED FOR DOMESTIC PERSONAL CRIMES AND BUSH IS A LAME DUCK PRESIDENT WITH APPROVAL RATINGS SO LOW, HE HAS TO LOOK UP TO SEE A SNAKE''S BELLY!

NO ONE IS GOING TO PAY ATTENTION TO EITHER ONE!!!

[jerr11]

Bush and his master discussing when we should move the Capitol to Jerusalem.

Heck that''s where our foreign policies are made and our war plans drawn up.

[walt1944-2009]

The Great Emperor Bush is meeting with the Isreali prime minister to talk about bringing "peace" to the Middle East.

It is strange to note that both men are "losers", with the Great Emperor having the worst approval rating of ANY US(SA) leader since Herbert Hoover, and Olmert under investigation for corruption in his own country.

Given these circumstances, it would also be possible that BOTH men might be plotting which country to seek asylum in when their terms are up so they can escape any kind of international justice!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!
sig heil, DEFINITELY MORE OF THE SAME, McCain!!!!

[jerr11]

Two crooks exchanging notes.

[noloyalisti]

This is funny news. The leaders of the two biggest purveyors of state-sponsored terror talking about peace. What a sick joke. What they are actually talking about is world hegemony and how to fool all the ignorant subjects of their kingdoms that they are not fascists.

[leftyintexas]

Only 230 days left!
Posted by leftyintexas Ahmadinejad your day''''''''s are numbered..tic,tic,tic
he,he

posted by underdogus at 10:16 AM : Jun 04, 2008

he,he....you keep thinkin that if it makes you happy...tic,tic,tic.

[bluestardad]

HEY YOU MIDDLE EAST BEGGARS AND THIEVES!

A NEW LOOK AT THE MIDDLE EAST POLICY IS COMING WHEN THE DEMOCRATS SWEEP THE ELECTION AND THOSE OF YOU MIDDLE EAST BEGGARS AND THIEVES WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING OFF AMERICAN MONEY FOR THE PAST 65 YEARS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IT WITHOUT AMERICAN FUNDING OR INVOLVEMENT OF OUR MILITARY!

THERE IS NOTHING IN THE MIDDLE EAST IN AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY INTEREST!

THEY HAVE NOTHING WE NEED!

AMERICA STAND UP OR SHUT UP!

[jlmcscanner]

Great post indivthinker, well spoken.

[ajaxtheleast]

His intelligence is so often the object
of jokes that now we non-creative types
can substitutes George''s name for
that generic ethnic fellow''s name in
all those past ethnic jokes.

We''ll simply tap into all those old
ethnic "Did you hear the one about"
gags without any risk of bigotry
and become the life of the party.

Converted example:

"Did you hear the one about Coke''s
George Bush commemorative bottle?".

"Printed on the bottom is
''You''re spilling pop on your right foot''."

A modern unconverted "one":

Did you hear the one about the war criminal
whose only punishment was jokes about
his intelligence?".

Tell them, Roger . . ."Never happened!".

[jlmcscanner]

When Obama becomes President there will be a chance for peace. He will need to tell both sides to dismantle their nuclear programs (yes oth sides, if Iran has no nukes either should Israel). Then he will need to tell Israel our troops are all coming home and to stay within their borders and to keep their hands off of the resources of other nations. He will also drastically cut back the amount of U.S. taxpayer money going to Israel.


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Posted by killtheliars at 09:48 AM : Jun 04, 2008


Put the bong down.... not a chance that anything you wrote will happen.

[jlmcscanner]

Kretos....your delusional.Iran will be a smoking cinder.Lets see America 15,000 total nuclear warheads Israel about 300 and Iran 0, hmmmm it will be close....HAHAHA LMAO

Posted by jlmcscanner


thanks for proving me that america and israel terrorist states ! dropping nukes on civlians huh ? hmmmmm


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Posted by kretos at 09:35 AM : Jun 04, 2008

We will end this once and for alltime, muslims are sowing the seeds of their own destruction.If or when a large terrorist event happens to either America or Israell the clock will start to tick and the end the arabs/muslims will take place in full force.It`s just a matter of time.You picked a fight you can never ever win because we will vaporize you all.The arms race that the russians lost gave us the ability to totally destroy all of you with just a push of a few buttons.tick toc tick toc, bye bye terrorists...your all gone no more.

[eroosevelt08]

If Barack Obama chooses Hillary Clinton as his VP he will have the best support and best chance to win in November. She adds experience to the ticket.

If Barack Obama does not choose Hillary Clinton as his VP, she could always run as an independent, like Joe Lieberman did. She could also encourage her supporters to mount a write-in campaign for her. Everybody can see how many millions have voted for her. She has a huge following.

Looks to me like Hillary Clinton would give Barack what he needs on his ticket, exactly. Compared to her, Joe Biden, John Edwards and the others on his list are lightweights.