WHA?  READ THIS WITH TWO EYES - AT 9:24 A.M. ET:  There are reports all over the internet this morning about a possible "breakthrough" (the 458th) in the Arab-Israeli peace process.  Fox News reports:

President Obama is on the brink of a breakthrough deal that would allow him to announce the resumption of long-stalled Middle East talks, Britain's Guardian newspaper reported, citing unnamed officials.

According to the paper, U.S., Israeli, Palestinian and European sources close to the discussions have said the announcement of resumed peace talks would come within a month.

Key to the deal is a U.S. promise to take a harder line with Iran over its nuclear weapons program, the Guardian said. The U.S., along with Britain and France are planning to push the U.N. Security Council into expanding sanctions to include Iran's oil and gas industry, which would cripple the nation's economy, the newspaper reported.

The Israeli government, in return, would be expected to impose a partial freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank.

COMMENT:  In the immortal words of that great philosopher, George Gobel, wait a gosh-darned second.  So, the way it appears, the U.S. "promises" to take a harder line on Iran "in return" for Israeli concessions on settlements.

Do I have that right?

Israel had to, basically, force the U.S. to take a harder line on Iran?  Isn't a harder line, and possibly more, in the American national interest?   Do these parlor-party "intellectuals" around Obama really believe that America isn't Iran's ultimate target? 

If this story is true, and it appears to be well sourced, it says something awful about American foreign policy under this head-in-the-sand administration.  It says that the only time we'll take a truly realistic stand against our adversaries is if someone forces us to do it.

Of course, it's possible that the Obamans just can't find the time to take hard action against Iran, so busy are they investigating our intelligence people.  You know, there are priorities, dearie.

This story follows a number of notes in the media expressing a growing cynicism about Obama's foreign policy.  We will watch carefully.  We share the cynicism.

August 26, 2009