Obama Says Mideast Peace Process Is In A 'Rut'

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (L) shakes hands with US President Barack Obama during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Mubarak warned Tuesday in talks with Obama it was time to ditch "temporary solutions" and hold final status talks between Israelis and Palestinians. (AFP/Jim Watson)

From The L.A. Times:

The president prods visiting Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak to help Israel and the Palestinians restart talks.

Reporting from Washington - President Obama said Tuesday that the Middle East peace process was in a "rut," and prodded Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to help break an Arab-Israeli standoff that has frustrated the administration's effort to restart talks.

"If all sides are willing to move off of the rut that we're in currently, then I think there is an extraordinary opportunity to make real progress," Obama said in a joint appearance with Mubarak at the White House. "But we're not there yet."

Read more ....

More News On The Middle East Process

At White House, Mubarak urges speeding up Mideast peace talks -- Miami Herald/McClatchy News
Obama: Encouraged on Mideast peace -- Yahoo News/AP
U.S. and Egypt Push for Progress on Mideast Peace -- ABC News
Mubarak firm on final status push in Obama talks -- Yahoo News/AFP
Obama, Mubarak seek fresh start to strained US-Egypt ties -- Christian Science Monitor
Egypt Expects U.S. to Present Middle East Peace Plan Next Month -- Bloomberg
Obama Sees ‘Positive Steps’ in Mideast -- New York Times
Mubarak's plan: 2-year peace process -- Ynet News
Activists Urge US to Raise Human Rights Issue With Egypt -- Voice of America
Netanyahu limits new projects in settlements -- Yahoo News/Reuters

My Comment: Nothing was resolved or decided in this meeting. Nothing. The only thing that was accomplished was President Mubarak bringing his son to Washington to meet the power brokers. He wants to position his son to assume the Egyptian Presidency .... and this is one of the steps that he has to go through. The Middle East process was just a side show.

On a side note .... no talk about human rights. Another break from the Bush administration.