These days countries know they can go around the White House and make a direct appeal to Congress, says TIME correspondent Douglas Waller. Thats definitely had a chilling effect on Washingtons ultimatum to Israel. Indeed, Mideast policy may be something of a lost cause in a U.S. election year.
Newt Blazes the Mideast Campaign Trail
The time when U.S. politicians, despite their misgivings, fell in behind the White House in its dealings with foreign countries has long gone: Newt Gingrich arrives in Israel tomorrow, and his guns are already blazing -- at President Clinton. An op-ed article he wrote for todays Jerusalem Post offers reasons for the Netanyahu government to reject Washingtons compromise ultimatum on troop withdrawal from the West Bank. [Israel] cannot replace its generals' judgments on security concerns with the optimism of those who have never faced a threat to their survival, wrote Gingrich.