With Middle East peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel going into sudden death overtime ( especially for 64 people hurt in a cowardly grenade attack in Beersheba ), is the President trying to make Netanyahu, an offer that he can't refuse? With a preliminary deadline of May 1999, why does Clinton seem to cozy up with the terrorist leader, Arafat and ignore the legimate security concerns of Israel, in trying to get some interim peace agreement signed?

It seems quite obvious to me that Clinton wants to score some November campaign points, and not address a true lasting peace in the Middle East. As each day ends with no settlement, the talks ( I refuse to call it a summit ) are extended. The President is desperate to create photo opportunities and press conferences, that make him look good in the eyes of the American people. There can be no peace, until the vicious attacks by terrorists like Hamas have ceased and various Palestinian groups remove the destruction of Israel, from their manifestos. Netanyahu, rightly so, will not compromise until these conditions are met to the satisfaction of Israel. The West Bank should remain occupied, until a collar is put on the Palestinian terrorists, once and for all!

With the general public not privy to all the details, it is tough to speculate on what Clinton is offering or threatening to withold, in forcing Netanyahu to accept some temporary piece of paper to sign, at a media circus event. This type of positive looking Whitehouse signing ceremony, is just what the President is after, to make himself look like a genuine world leader and peace maker!

I sincerely hope Netanyahu stands firm, and doesn't sell the peace process short, for a few more Patriot missiles or advance orders of the new ATF ( Advanced Tactical Fighter ) aircraft. High tech weapons or financial aid, will not stop the deaths of innocent people at the hands of terrorist attacks. Hollow promises from a former ( and I use this term lightly ) terrorist like Arafat, have no negotiation value, what so ever!

We all saw Clinton ' wag the dog ', with his, possibly media inspired, multi-million dollar, cruise missile attacks on tents in Afganistan and an aspirin factory in Sudan. Will the Israelies now have to pay the price for an increase of Clinton's approval points in the polls, with the blood of their innocent civilians, at the hands of arab terrorists? I bet Netanyahu could have supplied the US military, with some legitimate terrorist targets, for those misguided cruise missiles!

Once again, I point out the only observable reason that I believe Clinton is playing policy for the polls. There is no reason to rush a process that has a May 1999 deadline ( over 6 months distant ), except to get something to use in the November 3rd elections ( 2 weeks away ). It sure looks fishy to me, especially after seeing what the Democrats did with the " partisans R' us ", DNC-lovefest, budget agreement announcement, media event in the Whitehouse rose garden ( see Morning sickness? ( 10-17-98 ) ).

Bill Clinton just doesn't have the integrity or leadership, to pull off an instant Middle East peace process. Will there be a disingenuous, choreographed, pseudo-signing ceremony at the Whitehouse, of some meaningless interim agreement for the benefit of Clinton and the DNC ( whether or not anything really has been done this weekend )? If so, I predict that it will start with Clinton saying, ' We have reached a historical agreement in the on going Middle East peace process '.

- Bongo ( Tomorrow ( today ) may tell... )