Sunday, July 16, 2006

Who wants peace?


left, a body in Haifa,AFP. Far right:red cross worker with body in Tyre Lebanon, AP.

Ha'aretz, from
"Mubarak: Egypt persuaded Israel against land attack on Beirut":

Mubarak called on Sunday for an unconditional ceasefire to end escalating Israeli-Lebanese violence, saying all sides should give talks a chance.


and the New York Times, from
"Rice Says Israel May Need to Prolong Offensive":

When Ms. Rice was asked later whether she might engage in the sort of shuttle diplomacy made famous by her predecessor Henry Kissinger, she replied, “I’m thinking about it.”
[...]
Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain has urged Mr. Bush to send Ms. Rice to the region, Time magazine has reported, citing an unidentified British official.


Mubarak, of all people, pinch-hitting as leader of the free world, in a responsibility vacuum...As far as Rices goes, I guess it's pretty big of her to think about it. But if Blair really does want Rice to be sent to the middle east, this begs the question:

Why?

Can't she scold the Arabs and encourage the worst impulses of Olmert, et al from pretty much anywhere in the world? Why waste all that jet fuel?