The Bush administration intends to intensify its demand that Palestinian leaders dismantle West Bank and Gaza terror organizations after a devastating bomb attack on a packed bus in Jerusalem.
| And figger the odds on that happening... |
Secretary of State Colin Powell telephoned Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom as a White House spokesman condemned and deplored the attack Tuesday that virtually shattered an already shaky truce pledged by Palestinian extremist groups. A senior U.S. official insisted President Bush's policy, grounded in a peacemaking road map, was not in crisis, but that additional emphasis would be put on a call for Palestinian leaders to dismantle the terror infrastructure. "I don't think it puts it in jeopardy," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
| "We're going to continue to pretend that everything's on track and just ducky. We'll just quit talking about it as often as we have been, and eventually we won't talk about it at all anymore. We want it to die peacefully, in its sleep, instead of violently on a bus." |
Islamic Jihad, which had agreed to a truce at the behest of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, took responsibility for the bus attack, saying it was avenging the killing of a senior operative by Israeli troops last week.
| Oh. Well. That makes it okay, then. |
Hamas, which the State Department also condemns as a terrorist group and also had pledged a truce, later claimed responsibility for the attack as well.
| "We're just as bloodthirsty as they are!" |
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