Crying shame

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Of the thousands of pictures aired during Bush's eight-day Middle East tour two encapsulate its aims. One was taken at the beginning of his tour and showed a tearful Bush. The second, of Bush dancing, was taken towards the end of his visit. Between the two the fate of the region was being decided. Matters of war and peace were being putatively settled, during the course of which the questions that have for so long hung over the future of the Middle East were fast acquiring a darker aura.

The first picture was taken while Bush was in Israel, visiting the holocaust memorial. The US president stood between President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, tears welling in his eyes. The political message of the picture is clear when the image is considered in conjunction with the combustible statements Bush made in Israel, in which he announced that Israel is a Jewish state -- i.e., not a place for non-Jews, especially Arabs and Palestinians, to live. Bush then proceeded to offer his own views on the final status issues the Israelis and Palestinians need to discuss. Forget about the right of return for the Palestinians. Bush held open the possibility of financial compensation for the refugees and the possible deportation of Israel's remaining Arabs. As for the future of peace, Bush seemed to favour the creation of a deformed and fragmented Palestinian state, a solution that could please only Washington's lackeys.

The second picture showed the US president taking part in a traditional Arab dance in the Gulf. He looked relaxed, happy not only with the warm hospitality he enjoyed but for other reasons. By now the US president had been reassured that any worries he might have entertained about the possible reactions to his regional policies were groundless. The Arabs did not protest against his statements in Israel. They were even willing to sit and listen to more of his demands.

These demands could be divided into two -- the economic and the political. He wanted the Arabs to sign deals worth billions of dollars to buffer the US economy from the fall out from the current turbulence in the financial markets and increase oil supplies so as to bring prices down. He also wanted the Arabs to turn against Iran. But while Bush's hosts did not mind humouring their guest on economic matters when it came to politics they just couldn't get themselves as worked up over Tehran as he did.

Even as Bush was dancing in the Gulf the tears he had shed in Israel were beginning to backfire. Whatever successes Bush may appear to have accrued during the tour were immediately wiped out by the Israelis. The latter couldn't wait for the US president to go home so they might embark on more atrocities in Gaza.

Now no one can even pretend to believe Bush's promises about peace during his term in office. The promises are nothing but a sugar coating on the bitter pill the Arabs are being asked to swallow. The man who set fire to the Middle East can weep and dance as much as he likes but he cannot undo the harm he's already done.