Irrelevant is what Bush seems to be now in international politics. This is certainly evident in the Middle East. The ‘new middle east’ Condi Rice announced is not happening the way she and her man envisioned it.
The tactic of isolation of any perceived enemy Bush used and also demanded U.S. allies to use has completely broken down.
Instead of isolation there are talks, many of those, and the U.S. simply gets ignored in these.
- With the help of Qatar the Lebanese formed a government in which Hizbullah and its allies have a veto. Bush has tried for nearly two years to prevent this.
- Syrian President Bashar Assad got a warm welcome in France and there is no longer talk of sanctions against Syria.
- Egypt helped to negotiate a truce between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza strip.
- Germany is facilitating negotiations between Hizbullah and Israel.
- Turkey mediates talks between Israel and Syria.
- In Iraq the long term status of force agreement Bush demanded will not happen. Instead the Iraqis have increased their demands and want the green zone walls gone by the end of the year and U.S. troops to leave their cities.
- In Pakistan Bush’s man Musharraf is powerless and likely to get impeached.
- In Afghanistan president Karzai has spoken out against U.S. attacks on Iran from Afghan soil.
- Kuwait, with several thousand U.S. troops on its ground, openly criticizes Bush’s policy towards Iran.
The next few month in the oval office will be lonely. Let us hope that a bored and irrelevant Bush does not come up with any mischievous ideas.