'A Moment of Opportunity'

Last I heard, neither Iran nor Syria had a nuclear weapon. And Blair's answer, not surprisingly, was a little more complex.

Return to Cowboy Diplomacy

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Robin Wright wrote in Sunday's Post: "The controversial U.S. position -- which has pitted Washington against most European and Arab allies that pressed unsuccessfully for an immediate cease-fire -- also reflects a shift back to the Bush administration's first-term strategy, foreign policy specialists said. With Rice at the helm of foreign policy, the second Bush term had been characterized by a more realistic and collegial approach to foreign policy, a shift from the hard-charging go-it-alone push epitomized by the Iraq war during the first term.

"But now, analysts said, the administration is effectively back endorsing all-out force again, in defiance of allies, as part of its policy of trying to rid the Middle East of militants and radicals, or the 'drain the swamp' policy."

But Not All Indians Are the Same

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Lisa Byer writes in Time that Hezbollah, reasonably speaking, has nothing to do with the U.S. efforts against terrorism.

"Bush two weeks ago likened Hizballah militants to the terrorists who last summer bombed London subways. That implies that Hizballah has the same mind-set and agenda as the global jihadis of al-Qaeda and its imitator groups, but they are not the same. Hizballah's military mission is principally to defend Lebanon from Israeli intrusion and secondarily to destroy the Jewish state. . . .

"An additional downside to tossing all terrorists under one heading is that if you treat them the same, address them as one, you may encourage them to see themselves that way. . . .

"Five years into [the war on terror], a lot of Americans are understandably perplexed about just what it is. 'Peace will come only by defeating the terrorist ideology of hatred and fear,' the President said recently about the Lebanon crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But there is no one ideology among terrorists. And terrorism isn't even an ideology. It's a tactic. The President would be better off leveling with the American people. The U.S. has interests in the Middle East, such as protecting Israel. Some of them are subtle and require explaining, like resisting Iran's efforts to expand its influence. And many of them have nothing to do with global terrorism."

Bush in Miami

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Peter Baker writes in The Washington Post: "With crucial midterm congressional elections just three months away, President Bush tried Sunday to return to his domestic agenda even while the latest eruption in the Middle East continued to dominate his administration's attention. . . .

"The president's visit here to the home state of his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, suggested the depth of White House concern over his political standing as Republicans head into the campaign with a leader whose approval ratings remain stuck in the 30s. . . .

"With his brother at his side, the president will focus his Miami trip on a series of issues of regional and national concern: hurricane preparedness a year after Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast; the economy at a time when growth appears to be slowing; and port security after the Republican revolt over plans to allow an Arab company to take over management of several U.S. ports."

Bush last night met with people the White House described as "community leaders" -- but wouldn't identify them. Why would that be a secret?

Detainee Watch

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Anne Plummer Flaherty writes for the Associated Press: "U.S. citizens suspected of terror ties might be detained indefinitely and barred from access to civilian courts under legislation proposed by the Bush administration, say legal experts reviewing an early version of the bill. . . .

"Legal experts said Friday that such language is dangerously broad and could authorize the military to detain indefinitely U.S. citizens who had only tenuous ties to terror networks like al Qaeda.

" 'That's the big question . . . the definition of who can be detained,' said Martin Lederman, a law professor at Georgetown University who posted a copy of the bill to a Web blog ."

Karl Rove Watch

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Will Lester writes for the Associated Press: "Presidential adviser Karl Rove said Saturday that journalists often criticize political professionals because they want to draw attention away from the 'corrosive role' their own coverage plays in politics and government."

Cheney Watch

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Michael Isikoff writes in Newsweek: "An effort by Dick Cheney to prod Alaska lawmakers to approve a controversial $20 billion natural-gas pipeline project has misfired amid charges from some legislators that the veep was seeking to benefit major energy-company interests."

Legacy Watch

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Paul Bedard writes for U.S. News: "President Bush is expanding plans to remain active in his last two years in office, scrapping what aides call the Clinton model of pushing an agenda of small initiatives to instead pursue elements of his original but stalled agenda. . . . The list of topics on his agenda includes immigration and Social Security reform. . . . 'This is not a legacy-driven thing,' said another insider. 'We have our legacy. It's 9/11. This is an eventful presidency and it will continue to be one.' "

Martinez, Menendez

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Al Kamen writes in The Washington Post: "Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), at the White House this spring for a meeting with other senators to discuss immigration with President Bush, was surprised when Bush approached him as the meeting broke up and observed: 'Senator Martinez, you've been very quiet.'

"'That's Martinez,' Menendez said, pointing to Mel Martinez -- Florida's junior senator and Bush's former secretary of housing and urban development.

" 'I'm Menendez.'

"Bush turned bright red, we're told."