Bush's Accountability Moment?

David Ignatius writes in his Washington Post opinion column: "In the new cold war between America and Iran, the United States appears to be running some limited covert operations across the Iranian border. But according to knowledgeable sources, this effort shares the defect of broader U.S. policy toward Iran -- it is tentative and ill-coordinated, and it undermines diplomacy without bringing serious pressure on the regime. . . .

"The proponents of a tougher U.S. strategy argue that Iran should be confronted everywhere it operates, much as the Reagan administration decided to challenge the Soviet Union, from Afghanistan to Nicaragua. This hard-line faction, usually identified with Vice President Cheney, would like to see a systematic effort to disrupt the Iranian economy, foment internal political opposition and, in general, raise the cost to Iran of its foreign activities. But so far, that argument for a rollback of Iranian power hasn't prevailed inside a divided administration."

Robin Wright writes in The Washington Post: "Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Tuesday that prospects for a military attack by either the United States or Israel on the Islamic republic before the end of the Bush administration are 'almost nil,' and he dismissed a recent Israeli military exercise and warnings from Washington as 'psychological warfare.' . . .

"In a long interview with American journalists, Iran's top diplomat also indicated a readiness to negotiate a U.S.-backed proposal to end the standoff over Iran's nuclear program. Iran is 'seriously and carefully examining' it, Mottaki said. . . .

"Shaul Bakhash, an Iranian-born political scientist at George Mason University, said the pair of comments 'suggest that the Iranian government is much more interested in finding a negotiated settlement to the nuclear issue.'"

Iraq Watch

Karen DeYoung writes in The Washington Post: "Iraq has met all but three of 18 original benchmarks set by Congress last year to measure security, political and economic progress, according to a report by the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

"The embassy's evaluation, compiled in May, contrasts sharply with other recent assessments that Iraq has failed to achieve many of the goals that the Baghdad government and President Bush said would be reached by the end of 2007. A report by the Government Accountability Office, released last week, cited little improvement in the political and economic spheres and noted continuing military problems despite a significant decline in overall violence."

Anne Flaherty writes for the Associated Press that "Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-N.C., who requested the administration's updated assessment, scoffed at the May report, which he says uses the false standard of determining whether progress on a goal is 'satisfactory' versus whether the benchmark has been met. He estimates that only a few of the 18 benchmarks have been fully achieved."

Greg Miller writes in the Los Angeles Times: "Caught off guard by recent Iraqi military operations, the United States is using spy satellites that ordinarily are trained on adversaries to monitor the movements of the American-backed Iraqi army, current and former U.S. officials say.

"The stepped-up surveillance reflects breakdowns in trust and coordination between the two forces. Officials said it was part of an expanded intelligence effort launched after American commanders were surprised by the timing of the Iraqi army's violent push into Basra three months ago."

Sabrina Tavernise writes in the New York Times: "Iraq's foreign minister said Tuesday that the United States had agreed to lift immunity for foreign security contractors operating in Iraq, making them subject to prosecution under Iraqi law, according to Iraqi politicians. . . .

"Some Iraqi politicians also want to end immunity for American soldiers, a demand the United States military has strongly opposed. . . .

"Another point the Americans appeared to be conceding, Iraqi politicians said, was control of airspace over Iraq, an important strategic lever that would determine who is authorized to fly over the country.

"Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish member of Parliament, said the concession was simply part of political maneuvering. Iraq does not have a full-fledged air force and lacks the equipment and expertise to take control of air traffic over the country. As a result, he said, the United States would 'keep control even if it was handed to Iraqis.'"

Afghanistan Watch

Josh White writes in The Washington Post: "June was the deadliest month for U.S. troops in Afghanistan since the war there began in late 2001, as resilient and emboldened insurgents have stepped up attacks in an effort to gain control of the embattled country."

Asked this morning whether Afghanistan had now replaced Iraq as the central front on the war on terror, Bush didn't answer.

South Korea Watch

Initially, Bush was going to visit South Korea in early July. Then, after street protests against the import of U.S. beef, the visit was suddenly off.

Now, the Associated Press reports: "Before attending the Summer Olympics in Beijing next month, President Bush will visit South Korea, the site of violent protests over the import of U.S. beef.

"The White House made the announcement on Tuesday, the same day that American beef returned to South Korean store shelves under a new import agreement."

But as AFP reports from Seoul, that didn't go over well, either: "The United States has apologised for unilaterally announcing the dates of President George W. Bush's visit to South Korea in August, a senior Seoul presidential official said Wednesday.

"Dennis Wilder, an Asian affairs director at the White House's National Security Council, said Tuesday that Bush will visit Seoul on August 5 and 6, just before going to the Beijing Olympics.

"But the office of President Lee Myung-Bak said in a statement the date has not been fixed as consultations are still under way.

"Hours later, Washington offered an apology through diplomatic channels for unilaterally disclosing the dates, the senior official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

"'The US side has expressed regret. We decided to accept it,' he said.

"'We have conveyed our understanding to the US side over its expression of regret. Our side has told the US side that it should not be repeated,' the official said."

AFP in Washington quotes White House spokeswoman Dana Perino this morning, saying: "There was a little bit of an apology from the United States, but I think that it's pretty minor. We're working on the dates, and as soon as we have them set, we'll let people know."

Housing Watch

Ben Feller writes for the Associated Press: "President Bush expressed confidence Tuesday he will reach a deal with Congress on a housing-rescue plan, but only if lawmakers show 'less politics.'

"The president's comments came as many homeowners are saddled with mortgage payments they can't afford and face foreclosure. The Senate is considering a $300 billion plan to back cheaper loans for people who risk losing their home, but that measure has stalled for now."

As Feller notes, Bush made his quick stop at a credit-counseling agency in Arkansas "in between two fundraisers.

"By dropping in a bit of official business, the White House defrayed the cost of the trip for candidates and state parties and made the trip less overtly political. Ultimately, taxpayers end up paying most of the bill for any political travel by the president."

One surprise yesterday: On his way out of Little Rock, Bush had his motorcade pull over so he could join a young girl's birthday party outside. Here are the pictures.

Arrest or Impeach?

Johanna Neuman blogs for the Los Angeles Times: " Ed Felien, who runs a neighborhood newspaper, argued before a Minneapolis District Court judge in May that the county attorney should be ordered to arrest the president when he arrives [for the 2008 Republican National Convention in September] -- and charge him with murder.

"A former member of the Minneapolis City Council, Felien believes that Bush committed third-degree murder by sending Minnesota National Guard troops to Iraq on false pretenses."

In a separate post, Neuman notes that CNN anchor Lou Dobbs is citing tainted tomatoes as a reason to impeach Bush.

From his June 22 show: "You know, I have heard a lot of reasons over the years as to why George W. Bush should be impeached. But for them to leave the Food and Drug Administration in this state, its leadership in this sorry condition and to have no capacity apparently or will to protect the American consumer --- that is alone to me sufficient reason to impeach a president who has made this agency possible and has ripped its guts out in its ability to protect the American consumer."

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Cartoon Watch

Mike Luckovich on McCain as a prisoner of Bush's war; Steve Benson on Bush and North Korean; Rob Tornoe on the torture outrage; David Horsey on Bush's Afghanistan surprise.