Annapolis means "I am the police."

Can anything good come from Annapolis?

Before the meeting it was seemingly unanimous that nothing good could issue from the meeting but only disaster. What a difference 24 hours makes.

Now the Israeli media—which along with most believers had been predicting only dire consequences of even meeting in Annapolis—is almost unanimously pleased with what was accomplished. It is so easy to say, “Washington is pressuring Israel,” even when nothing could be farther from the truth.

GOD help us to recognize who are friends are and not to mistake any of them for enemies. Our prayer is for discernment and understanding of the times.

I thought this was an astute observation from the Hebrew press:
“The Jerusalem Post agrees with President Bush, when he claims that the battle for Arab-Israeli peace has become part of the battle against Islamic "extremists." This means that 2008, the year in which
Arabs and Israelis are aiming to reach agreement on the establishment of a Palestinian state, must also be the year that the Iranian regime's bid for nuclear-backed hegemony is repelled.”

Another astute observation, this time from the Arabic press:
Arabic commentators have "made much of a linguistic coincidence:
In Arabic, ana polis means "I am the police."

"President Bush's message, former Lebanese Cabinet minister Essam Norman wrote in that country's opposition Al-Akhbar newspaper, is: 'I am the policeman of the Middle East, responsible for your safety and security. Beware devious troublemaking. Israel isn't the enemy, Iran is."

By "opposition" the Washington Post writers meant, Syrian-backed, Hizballah-leaning political forces within the Lebanese government.

It's ironic that the enemies of peace and freedom all see President Bush's Annapolis meeting as a challenge to Middle Eastern radical Islamic extremism, while so many pro-Israel Christians and far right Israelis think Bush is just out to destroy Israel.

From my perspective the enemies of Israel have far better discernment of the character and motives of President Bush. Thank you, Mr. President, for not basing what you do on the personal favor or displeasure of the crowd.