Clinton exhibits his profound inability to deal with the nation's problems, both foreign and domestic, in his critical mishandling of his failed trip to Russia.

With international affairs continuing to degenerate, his finger prints are all over the problem.

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, and North Korea are pushing their evil agendas amidst an atmosphere that Clinton has neither the will, nor the authority to respond. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Clinton's bluff, in U.S. Middle East diplomacy. A bluff requires the appearence of a strong hand, something that Clinton does not even have a small semblence of!

" This administration seems bound and determined not to provide leadership where it counts most ", said former U.N. Special Commission inspector Scott Ritter. Amid allegations that Clinton deliberately discouraged weapons inspections by the United Nations in Iraq, for fear they might provoke a confrontation; Speaker Newt Gingrich reportedly told Clinton, while urging him that weapons inspections resume, " If the U.S. backs down, it will have devastating consequences for the United States, our allies and the world ".

On Tuesday, as his failed meeting in Russia began, he made one of his patented cushy speeches at a Russian school, to celebrate the start of Russia's academic year. It included elements that were reminiscent of his 1992 campaign for President theme of, don't stop thinking about tomorrow ( Bill Clinton is really good at two things: campaign speeches and raising money for himself ). He continues to try this snow job of ignoring the problems of the present and switching the subject to the future, " Always keep those dreams with you because in the new century you will be able to live those dreams ". Did I hear Fleetwood Mac playing in the background?

As the trip wound to a close on Wednesday, it became quite apparent that absolutely nothing had been accomplished; other than to deflect attention from his total lack or leadership and credibility, and to help prop up another despot, who is on the way out. At least he didn't offer up any immediate new " US Dollar Toilet Paper ", to be flushed down the Russian toilet ( into the pockets of the Russian Mafia criminal bosses, instead of the needy public )!

No aggreements on Iraq or terrorism. No START2 nuclear weapons treaty signing ( it was supposed to be signed before the summit was to begin ). Though Yelsin would have been signing, what amounts to a forgery, without the support of any part of the Russian government!

Clinton and Yeltsin did sign accords ( non-binding verbage ) Wednesday, promising tip-offs about worldwide ballistic missile launches and pledging to cut plutonium stockpiles. Big deal, they are not real aggreements and are not worth the Rubles they were signed on!

He did pledge further economic aid in the future, though, but only after the market economy reforms were in place, " America and the international community are, I am convinced, ready to offer further assistance if Russia stays with the path of reforms ". This may be the only appropriate thing that he said(did), as it is as non-commital, as Clinton has been himself!

Yelsin continued the Bill and Boris conman show with, " What we need from the United States is political support, support for Russian reforms, this is what we need. And then all investors who want to come to the reformed Russia, then they will come.'' He doesn't lie as convincingly as Bill Clinton does.

Yelsin then said what this meeting was all about, salvaging his own image with the hard-liners; " We are against NATO's expansion to the east, we consider it to be a big, major mistake and sometime it will become a historic mistake ".

Okay, now it becomes abundantly clear, that Clinton sold us down the river for a little dog-wagging. Clinton gets us nothing, and Yelsin gets to slime NATO in a joint international news conference, without a peep out of Clinton!

Clinton also continued to dodge questions about his Monica Lewinsky non-apology speech of August 17th.

" I read it " ( the attack-non-apology speech? ) " the other day again, and I thought it was clear that I was expressing my profound regret to all who were hurt and to all who were involved, and my desire not to see any more people hurt by this process and caught up in it ", Clinton said.

Regret is not apology. Attacking the prosecutor, is shirking responsibility, not taking it!

``I have acknowledged that I made a mistake, said that I regretted it, asked to be forgiven, spent a lot of very valuable time with my family in the last couple of weeks and said I was going to back to work '', Clinton said after further questioning.

Acknowledging a mistake, or regetting that you got caught, is neither apology, nor taking the blame.

" I was commenting that it seemed to be something that most reasonable people would think had consumed a disproportionate amount of American time, money and resources and attention and would now continue to involve more and more people '', Clinton added.

Clinton should have thought about this, before making that choreographed direct lie comment to us back in January. The expenses since then, are all one hundred percent his responsibility, alone.

" I believe it's time for us to now go back to the work of the country,'' Clinton said. " That's all I meant to say. ''

If that's all Clinton meant to say, then that's all he should have said!

One cannot be forgiven, unless they truely apologize and accept the full blame. Clinton's failed trip to Russia, has now been exposed as the " wag the dog " diversion, that everyone already knew it was going to be.

- Bongo ( nice try, but not good enough... )