As I was perusing the news, today, I ran across this Israeli op-ed...

A meeting of lame ducks

Bush, Olmert not doing well; presidential visit won’t amount to much

I just couldn't pass it up! So Shrub has jetted to the Middle East in a last ditch effort to bolster his woeful legacy on 'peace' within the Middle East. First stop was Israel and an attempt to salvage some semblance of an peace accord between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Right out of the gates, Dubya issued a blistering diatribe directed at Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. Yep, He's no shrinking violet.

Olmert, was all aglow with love for his bestest friend ever, and, Shrub basked in the love.

Bush, who seemed to well up with emotion as Israeli leaders heaped praise on his record during an evening of celebrations for Israel's 60th anniversary of statehood, declared the United States "Israel's best friend in the world". But he also backed Lebanon's government and Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.

Bush accused Iran of meddling in Lebanon's affairs. He also said Washington would stand with Israel against the "existential threat" a nuclear-armed Iran would pose.

As the WaPo reported...

Bush, though, was upbeat throughout the day, focusing fresh criticism on Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, while vowing to stand by Israel. Bush has broad backing in Israel, and there were no significant protests in either Israel or the Palestinian territories.

"I suspect if you looked back 60 years ago and tried to guess where Israel would be at that time, it would be hard to be able to project such a prosperous, hopeful land," Bush said after meeting with Peres. "I doubt people would have been able to see the modern Israel, which is one reason I bring so much optimism to the Middle East, because what happened here is possible everywhere."

"I'm sure people say, 'Oh, Bush, man, he sounds hopelessly idealistic,' " Bush told Israel's Channel 10. "But the truth of the matter is, in order for peace to secure, it's that kind of idealism that has got to prevail."

Hopelessly idealistic...? WTF? More like delusional with visions of grandeur...!

Here's some differing views on success from the WaPo...

"I don't think Palestinians believe there is going to be a deal," said Ali Jarbawi, a political science professor at the West Bank's Birzeit University. "And if there is a deal, the overwhelming majority don't think it would be favorable to the Palestinian position."

Avraham Cohen, a 22-year-old ultra-Orthodox settler, said Bush is "the best president that the Jewish nation has ever had." But he said he sees little prospects for a peace deal, and wonders why Bush bothered to come: "What's the point of the visit? I don't know."

Good question... Here's a deal-breaker right here...

Israel's housing minister will approve next week the construction of hundreds of homes in West Bank settlements, a political ally of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Wednesday, adding new tensions to peace talks between Israel and Palestine.

What a waste of US taxpayers dollars...! Shrub will most certainly go down in the history books as "The Worst President!" Wear your laurels well, Dubya...!