Keeping The Middle East Peace Talks On For The Next Administration

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice smiles in New Delhi October 4, 2008.
REUTERS/B Mathur

Rice Tries To Preserve Mideast Peace Talks -- Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice flies to the Middle East on Wednesday to set the stage for future Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that both sides acknowledge will not produce an agreement this year.

The decision to hold an Israeli election in three months has effectively killed U.S. President George W. Bush's goal of securing a peace deal this year to end the six-decade conflict.

While Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are expected to continue, Israel's political uncertainty and Barack Obama's victory in the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday leave the Bush administration with limited influence in its waning days.

U.S. officials have said Rice, who leaves on a four-day trip to Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and Egypt, has no intention of floating her own proposals to advance a last-minute deal.

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My Comment: Two and a half months is the time left in this job. Not much to do anything ....