It is interesting to note that nowhere in his "peace" proposal did Sharon mention any stopping of settlement activity. As a matter of fact, Sharon left everything vague, with the intention that Israel would seize further Palestinians lands duting the "intermediate negotiations". Sharon could also count on further terrorism to disrupt the negotiations.

This Israeli setttlement activity is the difference between a "peace process" and "peace". The situation is bad enough already, as current Israeli settlements lie atop the northern and southern aquifers in the West Bank, and Israel also wants to control access to the Jordan River. Further and worse, the chances of Sharon atttempting to seize Arab East Jerusalem are 100%.

From thier pushing of their concepts, my sense of the view of the Zionist supporters in Washington is that they expect the crisis between the Israelis and Palestinians to quiet down, allowing things to return to "normal": "negotiations" continue while Sharon aned Israel expands the settlements. In the meantime, this "quiet" will allow the US to take out Saddam in Iraq, as the other regional leaders fear Saddam.

Rumsfeld's idea and the Bush Jr administration's attempt to move against Saddam before the Israeli/Palestinian conflict began to go up was foiled by Sharon's early intrusion. You can come home, boys.

Resolving the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is the number one policy goal of every government in the region. Saddam is a far far distant second. These policies reflect popular sentiment, without which no government can survive.

All Moslem nations are united in demanding that the US work through the UN to take out Saddam. The reason for this is that they want UN resolutions on Israel to be enforced as well. There is "linkage".

My guess is that Abdullah's "vision" and Bush Jr's "vision" for a peace agreement are very similar, so Abdullah's visit is intended to indicate that. Some in Washington are currently hyping the Oslo Accords, forgetting entirely the Camp David Accords which came well before them.

Moving on to what comes next. Abdullah is going to inform Bush Jr that popular sentiment is growing for an economic embargo of Israel, including secondary boycotts if necessary, if no other course of action is open. (read oil embargo). Abdullah and the House of Saud have no intention of going the way of the House of Palaveh (the Shah of Iran).

It is also important to remember that Abdullah is regent only, and that there are other POSSIBLE FUTURE contenders for the throne within the House of Saud who have a much more "confrontational" stand on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

I think that Abdullah will also share with Bush Jr his opinion that action against Saddam will not be possible until the Israeli/Palestinian crisis is resolved, and I don't think that that is going to happen this time without a resolution of the underlying conflict. There is no wiggle room left.

In the meantime, Bush Jr will come under withering fire from the Zionist supporters... and this will test his mettle...

can't sleep, not hungry, etc... trying to dump my concerns here

A UN vote on a trade embargo of Israel is also possible -

Also possible are other terrorist attacks on the US -

Jimmy Carter probably needs to have his bags packed, just in case -

a chaotic situation, with little good news in sight -

ep