In Saudi Arabia, the sources said, Gates faced withering criticism from King Abdullah and his aides for U.S. support of the Shi'ite-led government in Iraq. Gates responded that August 2007 would mark the turning point for U.S. policy in the Middle East.

"The message was that if by August, the [Iraqi President Nouri] Al Maliki government fails to take over security, then the war will be considered unwinnable," a GCC source said. "The conclusion by Arabs and Israelis was that this was the U.S. deadline."

The sources said the planned U.S. withdrawal marked the basis for the administration's proposal to supply Saudi Arabia with up to $10 billion in advanced military platforms and weapons. Congress has objected to the sale because of Saudi instability as well as Riyad's insistence that it will not accept U.S. restrictions on the use of the systems. In Israel, Gates also discussed U.S. strategy in Middle East.

The sources said Israeli leaders who met with the defense secretary understood that the United States would soon begin a withdrawal from Iraq. "The underlying message by Gates to the Israelis was different from that to the Arabs," said an American who monitored the talks. "The Israelis understood from Gates that Israel was on its own and therefore must be very careful in how it responds to threats, including the Iranian threat. The feeling was that if there was another war, Israel should not expect another U.S. airlift."

So much for South Korea like bases in Iraq.

If correct, the Bush administration is now presiding over unmitigated disasters in almost every aspect of their invovlement. They have NO CLUE? NONE?

Khomeinists, and the Taliban are the archetype of what is to come over there.

Nasrallah will be proven correct and be looked to as the kind of man to lead.

We are rushing, as a result of all this towards the 20 minute solution.

I have a flash for you to consider, this administration is too faulted to carry out a successful set of attacks on Iran.