Don't Expect Big Breakthrough In MidEast Summit

While it would certainly be a wonderful legacy to to suddenly leave a peaceful MidEast, there is little reason to expect that will really happen. Things move painfully slow in the MidEast. And little Israel is greatly outnimbered by hostile MidEast states in the 43 nation Annapolis Conference which opens today.

Fatah only represents the smaller political portion of the Palestinians, and is in little political position to be making any peace deals for the entire Palestinian people as a whole, especially since most probably support the more radical Hamas element. The Prime Minister of Israel is very weak political position as well, perhaps the most unpopular political leader in the democratic world right now. Even President Bush is a unpopular lame duck, who would love to rush through some quick agreement to complex and vexing MidEast issues.

This is not to say that some minor window dressing document could not emerge. But at the same time it is highly unlikely to expect very much when none of the elements exist for the political clout by any of the major players to sign on to something worthwhile with some political authority to carry with it the power to actually see the document change events in the MidEast. Problems in the MidEast will likely go on to the next president, and the next president, and next MidEast leaders, and the next MidEast leaders.