Lebanon crisis seen pushing US credibility in ME to all-time low
Afp, Washington
The United States' credibility as a diplomatic broker in the Middle East has been pushed to an all-time low by the Bush administration's handling of the conflict in Lebanon, experts say. But despite its dwindling influence, Washington continues to be seen as the dominant player in any effort to ease the violence that has long plagued the region. The fighting between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia escalated into its fifth week Thursday with diplomats still at loggerheads over details of a UN ceasefire deal and the United States increasingly isolated from its European and Arab allies. For many analysts, the administration of US President George W Bush -- already badly damaged by its handling of the crisis in Iraq -- has painted itself into a diplomatic corner by siding too closely with Israel in its month-old offensive against Hezbollah. More than 900 Lebanese civilians have been reported killed in Israeli air and artillery strikes as diplomats have wrangled over the terms of a possible ceasefire, compared to several dozen Israelis who have died in Hezbollah missile attacks.
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