Coming Up Empty

"'The main problem here is that Bush is not prepared to invest American prestige in anything substantive,' said Israeli political analyst Yossi Alpher. 'He believes in his mantra of freedom, liberty and democracy sincerely but it won't work in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.'

"Weary of empty promises, Palestinians were deeply skeptical about the visit, expecting little from a man many view as the best friend Israel has had in the White House."

But at least no harm, no foul? Not necessarily. Harrison notes: "Some analysts said Bush risked wrecking the process and unleashing violence by promising too much too soon, and would do better to settle for laying the groundwork for his successor.

"'Over-reaching won't help,' said [veteran U.S. Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller]. 'My advice to him is forget the peace treaty and get busy.'"

Israeli Snub

Reuters also reports that while Bush said there would be a "signed peace treaty" within the year, his Israeli hosts are already starting to backpedal: "Pressed repeatedly on whether Israel expects to sign a final 'peace treaty' by the time Bush steps down next January, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman told a news conference that Israel hoped for a 'historic agreement' in 2008 that would 'outline the framework' of a future Palestinian state. . . .

"Asked whether Olmert was ready to negotiate a full 'peace treaty' this year, rather than an interim 'framework agreement', [Spokesman Mark] Regev said: 'We believe it's possible to achieve by the end of 2008 a historic agreement.'

"Asked if that meant a final treaty, he said: 'I hope we will have a historic agreement that . . . outlines the framework, the structure, the vision for a future Palestinian state.'"

The Arab Audience

Bush is now in Kuwait, the first of several Arab countries he will visit before returning home.

Farnaz Fassihi writes for the Wall Street Journal (subscription required): "As President Bush tours the Middle East on his first official visit, he will encounter an Arab public deeply critical of his policies in the region and skeptical that the U.S. means what it says.

"Almost everyone here believes that no other American president has had such a big impact on the region's political and social landscape, but critics say the change hasn't produced improvements.

"'Democracy in the Middle East is now part of history. Nobody believes Bush any more. He has turned the Middle East into a big mess, and you can't bring democracy and change with instability,' said Sateh Nour Eddine, managing editor and columnist at Lebanon's As-Safir newspaper, which is aligned with the U.S.-backed government here.

"Mr. Bush began his presidency with lofty goals for this region: Iraq would serve as a model for democracy, Iran would be tamed, and a Palestinian state would be created to pave the way for peace. But in his last year in office, Iraq remains unstable and chaotic; Iran has emerged as a regional superpower, and peace between Israel and Palestine is elusive. . . .