Bush foreign policy under fire

WASHINGTON — These are dreary days for U.S. diplomacy.

A string of disappointments in recent weeks has left Washington's role as a global power broker diminished. The unalloyed U.S. support for Israel during two weeks of fighting with Hezbollah insurgents in Lebanon and American refusal to agree to a quick cease-fire are leaving the Bush administration ever more isolated internationally.

U.S. relations with its allies had shown signs of improvement in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. But the signs of strain are growing:

• Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice failed to agree in Rome with European and Arab allies on terms for a cease-fire to end two weeks of Israel-Hezbollah violence.

• President Bush and visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had to concede a 6-week-old plan for quelling violence in Baghdad had failed. Bush ordered more U.S. troops to Iraq's battered capital — a setback to hopes for a big drawdown of U.S. troops this year.

• Efforts to get North Korea and Iran to restrict their nuclear ambitions remained stalled.

• World trade talks collapsed.

"This president has a very firm world view that is not about to be changed by facts or realities. There are good guys and bad guys -->," said Ivo Daalder, who was director of European affairs in the National Security Council in the Clinton administration.

"Right now, Israelis are the good guys and Hezbollah, Syria and Iran are the bad guys," said Daalder, now a fellow with the Brookings Institution. He said the administration's refusal to deal directly with Hezbollah, Syria or Iran "is a manifestation of this world view: We don't talk to bad people."

Bush may get some solace later this week when his strongest ally on Iraq, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, visits the White House — he was last here just two months ago. But Blair himself is politically weakened, both by Iraq and by domestic woes. Blair has answered calls for him to step down by saying it is too soon, but he has promised to give up the prime minister's post before the next national elections, expected by 2009.

The administration insists it is engaged with foes as well as friends, if not always directly. But White House spokesman Tony Snow on Thursday criticized what he called a push for "egg-timer diplomacy. Things do not happen on snap deadlines."