They can talk up consumer confidence and orders, both at least a month old, as much as they want, but...

Israel withdrew its tanks from Ramallah to the suburbs of Ramallah, and oil prices are rising...

Bush Jr. has no wiggle room left in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

There's a real difference in "visions", as a UN resolution with a "vision" of a Palestine with less territory than 242 or Camp David is pretty much finished.

The Tenet/Mitchell track is done, and bout the only option left is Prince Abdullah's plan - fortunately, it's a really good one.

Bottom line, the solution remains the same as before, a UN deployment sufficient to assure both Palestinian rights and the lack of a base for terrorists to attack Israel from.

which way will the market go, and how soon?

ep