In the 2000 Presidential Debates, Bush was asked what he thought about the Israeli-Palestenian conflict, and what he would do to help resolve it, and he responded kurtly "America is a Friend of Israel." Nothing more. Apparently he felt no further depth of reflection was necessary.

Seven years later and I still remember the moment very clearly. He was wrong then, not just in strategy but in statement. America has not been a friend to Israel, or if it has, it has been the worst kind of friend possible: the kind of friend always pushing you to do the things you know are bad for you, but want to anyway. Funny how those kind of friends always seem to stay clean of the trouble they get you into.