Condi Picks Her Crowd

With the Israel and Hamas going at it through over and through the air, the Gaza situation deteriorating, and Abbas caught in between, you would think Bush/Rice would have had better sense than to publicly appeal to Abbas to sit down with Israel. 

You can read the story, but the image frames the result that much better. 

Just like the way Putin publicly humiliated Rice last year, we see a politically deaf and smilingly naive Condi getting it every which way by her Palestinian pal.  To her side (yeah, way over there), Abbas flashes a classic “I swear by my flag, I’m not budging” expression to the world.  And behind her back, Arafat not only cuts Condi off from her man, but appears to be laughing at her from the great beyond.  Moreover, even Abbas — the way his portrait on the wall functions cleverly here like a thought bubble or his inner mind — is experiencing mirth at her expense.

And then, I don’t know what that pin is about.  Is it a question mark?  Or, maybe it’s that famous mushroom cloud of hers.

Abbas Rebuffs Call by Rice to Return to Talks (NYT)

Outsmarting Versus Plain Smarting: or, Chin scratching after a hammering by Putin (BNN)

(image: Pool photo by Abbas Momani. March 4, 2008.  Ramallah.  via nytimes.com)