Right now two shows are going on simultaneously.  One is dreary and getting old while the new one is bright and shiny and over in the blink of an eye.  What I am referring to are, of course, the posturing, pouting and everlasting lead up to the Presidential election in the U.S. and the U.S. and its “friends” at Annapolis trying to mend fences and get around to talking peace in the Middle East.

Neither of these shows is inspiring or all that entertaining.  There is a lot of posturing and positive talk by the principle actors while below the scenes voices are tearing apart the structures being built up above.  It is one thing for candidates WITHIN a party to tear down the snow white pictures prepared by the candidates of the other party, but the infighting within a party is always sad to note.  For a leader to arise and become the chosen spokesperson of a country is a rare thing indeed.  What complicates the process in America and “democratic” countries everywhere is that everyone is supposed to be equal and anyone can become President.

Outside of Annapolis with its brushes with familiarity of famous enemies the lands of Iraq and Afghanistan stand out like thumbs pounded flat by a big hammer.  Nothing is accomplished there while the thin premise of peace talks between Israel and the “Palestinians” are made to seem larger and more important because so many of the surrounding countries have gotten into the act.  But, as the commentators say, it is not the actual peace between Israel and its almost new neighbor, Palestine, that is important – it is that there is a sort of amorphous unanimity of opposition to the rogue state, Iran, that brings them together.  For some reason, the possibility that Iran will be able to field atomic weapons is more real than the weapons of mass destruction supposedly stockpiled by Saddam Hussein that were the excuse to bring him down.

So, there are two bunches of folks on the world stage who are entertaining us with their posturing and promises. Neither the candidates, Republicans or Democrats are a comforting lot.  They show how divided we are rather than how united we were promised to be by G.W. Bush.  The only consoling thought here is that he is ineligible to run again and must leave the stage with or without a legacy.

The Arab leaders have gone home already from Annapolis without making any promises or speeches that make us think they are part of a “peace” process sixty years in the making.  It was interesting to note that the biggest elephant in the room from Saudi Arabia made vague gestures of acknowledging Israel’s Olmert but the status remains quo until time moves on and we have a new President and maybe a tentative peace proposal that will do little bits of what both sides want.