From the SMH

Israel overshadowed US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's latest Mideast peace mission by declaring Gaza a "hostile entity" and threatening to cut back vital utilities, drawing Palestinian wrath and putting Rice squarely in the middle of the latest squabble.

Rice had an early-morning meeting Thursday with Israeli President Shimon Peres before heading to Ramallah in the West Bank to talk with Palestinian leaders, who are furious with the Israeli designation - though they, too, are in a struggle with the Islamic Hamas, which took over Gaza by force in June.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the moderate leader on whom Rice and Israel have pinned hopes for peace, condemned the Israeli move.

In the July 22,2007 San Fransisco Chronicle Joel Brinkley wrote that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice finds that her star is fading. What has she accomplished?" he asked. "Iraq has slid far downhill in the past 2 1/2 years. Iran is no closer to giving up its nuclear development program than when she took office.  

Even though the Bush administration has done more than any other country to help the victims in Darfur, the carnage there continues unabated. Last week, the Sudanese government began bombing Darfur civilians again.  

Relations with Russia, her area of speciality, have steadily worsened; a week ago, Russia dropped out of a key arms control treaty.

Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, has evolved from an irritant to a menace as he moves to nationalize Venezuela's oil industry.

Despite many visits to Israel and the Palestinian territories, she has had no appreciable impact on events there. In September 2006 the Israeli government said it plans to build 700 new homes in two settlement blocs in the occupied West Bank" 

Shuttle Lunacy

Rice urges Kenyans to share power

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has urged Kenya's rival leaders to put aside their personal agendas and share power to end the political crisis.
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Gus: Kenyans tell Rice that Bush should share power with Al Gore....

The Middle East grapevine is buzzing with rumours that Tony Blair is ready to step down from his post as envoy of the so-called Quartet - the US, UN, European Union and Russia - engaged in the search for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.  

Appointed with great fanfare last summer, Blair is said to have become increasingly frustrated by the unwillingness of either side to make the concessions required for any breakthrough.  

Although the official line remains that there is still a chance of a deal being struck before President Bush leaves office at the end of the year, it is widely accepted in diplomatic circles that the US 'road map' intended to guide the parties towards a lasting settlement is effectively dead and buried.  

Will Blair Quit His Hopeless Mideast Mission?