Humoring Condi

"'The outcome of the conference must be substantive, inclusive and relevant to the daily lives of Israelis and Palestinians,' they wrote Bush and Rice last month.

"Shibley Telhami, a Mideast scholar at the University of Maryland, agreed. 'It would be a disaster if we fail. People know that, if this initiative is aimed to bolster the Arab moderates, and they fail after raising expectations so high, then Hamas wins without lifting a finger.'"

Scott Wilson writes in The Washington Post that "pre-conference talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators did not produce a joint statement outlining the peace process to follow this week's largely symbolic gathering. The failure highlights how contentious the talks will be when participants take up issues such as the final borders of a Palestinian state, the status of Jerusalem and the right claimed by Palestinian refugees to return to homes inside Israel.

"Even though a majority of the 22-member Arab League agreed to attend, Arab officials have expressed deep reservations about how much the conference will achieve, given the late hour of the Bush administration's diplomacy and the violent divisions within the Palestinian electorate."

The White House Line

"I remain personally committed to implementing my vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security," Bush said Sunday in a statement. "The Israelis and Palestinians have waited a long time for this vision to be realized, and I call upon all those gathering in Annapolis this week to redouble their efforts to turn dreams of peace into reality."

Here is National Security Adviser Hadley's briefing for reporters yesterday, which includes his thoughts on why the timing is so propitious.

Here is Bush this morning after his meeting with Israeli President Ehud Olmert: "I'm looking forward to continuing our serious dialogue with you and the President of the Palestinian Authority to see whether or nor peace is possible. I'm optimistic, I know you're optimistic, and I want to thank you for your courage and your friendship. I'm proud your -- proud of you."

Iraq Watch

Steven Lee Myers and Alissa J. Rubin write in the New York Times: "With American military successes outpacing political gains in Iraq, the Bush administration has lowered its expectation of quickly achieving major steps toward unifying the country, including passage of a long-stymied plan to share oil revenues and holding regional elections.

"Instead, administration officials say they are focusing their immediate efforts on several more limited but achievable goals in the hope of convincing Iraqis, foreign governments and Americans that progress is being made toward the political breakthroughs that the military campaign of the past 10 months was supposed to promote.

"The short-term American targets include passage of a $48 billion Iraqi budget, something the Iraqis say they are on their way to doing anyway; renewing the United Nations mandate that authorizes an American presence in the country, which the Iraqis have done repeatedly before; and passing legislation to allow thousands of Baath Party members from Saddam Hussein's era to rejoin the government. A senior Bush administration official described that goal as largely symbolic since rehirings have been quietly taking place already."

Julian E. Barnes writes in the Los Angeles Times: "Top military leaders at the Pentagon want to avoid a repeat of the last public assessment of the Iraq war -- with its relentless focus on the opinion of a single commander -- when the Bush administration makes its next crucial decision about the size of the U.S. force. . . .

"Defense officials believe [Gen. David H. Petraeus]'s testimony succeeded in muting a congressional debate and in giving them breathing room for their counter-insurgency strategy, but at a potentially high cost. In addition to the burden on Petraeus, some officials believe, an incessant spotlight on one general risks politicizing the military and undermining the public's faith that military leaders will give honest assessments of the war's progress."