Condoleezza Rice held a press conference today, gurgling that “we must work for conditions for stability and a lasting peace in the Middle East.” None of the so-called “journalists” that I heard asking questions inquired as to whether this was an announcement that the United States – the principal destabilizing and warmongering force – is planning to withdraw its troops and bombers from Iraq and return home. While I am not fond of quoting politicians – particularly presidents – John F. Kennedy managed to get one thing right when he declared that “peace is leaving other people alone.”

Ms. Rice, of course, is too wrapped up in the duplicity and intellectual dishonesty of politics to see this rather obvious solution to the violence in the Middle East. To her thinking, the “destabilizing” forces consist of groups that use “terror” in an effort to subdue a nation. That the Americans’ use of “shock and awe” is synonymous with “terror,” is another point of inconvenience for Ms. Rice to metabolize in her thinking.

As an aside, I am curious whether CNN has found a time-warp within which to conduct its coverage. As Ms. Rice’s press conference was being shown “live” in Los Angeles at 11:00 a.m., CNN had split-screen coverage showing Israeli tanks and troops parked on the border with Lebanon. That picture also purported to be “live,” with the sun being directly overhead. If I am not mistaken, there is a ten hour time differential between Los Angeles and that part of the Middle East, meaning that this coverage was taking place at 9 p.m. It is one thing to talk about governmental policies taking place where the sun doesn’t shine, but are we to believe – a la the British empire – that the sun never sets on the American empire?