Editorial
Unfold the road map

DON RYAN / AP National-security adviser Condoleezza Rice, seen in Portland, was in Seattle yesterday for a lecture at the University of Washington.

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President Bush's vision of a democratized Middle East living in peace, security and freedom will not happen without consistent leadership on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.

National-security adviser Condoleezza Rice is a compelling and commanding presence on behalf of her president's foreign policy, but her message falters on his broader Middle East initiative. Rice was in Seattle yesterday for a lecture at the University of Washington sponsored by the World Affairs Council. Earlier, she met with the Editorial Board members and staff of The Seattle Times.

Bush has promoted his road map as a way to engage the United Nations, the European Union, Russia and the U.S. in brokering a lasting peace. The president has spoken boldly of a Palestinian state.

Diplomats and generals who've worked in the region speak of a stable, equitable resolution as the only way out of the bloody crisis.

Rice attributes more than a year of limited activity by the Bush administration to quieter contacts away from the glare of shuttle diplomacy. Likewise, she says failure of the Palestinians to handle their political affairs and present a reliable negotiating partner is another reason for no progress. Yes, the Egyptians and Jordanians are coming forward in their own self-interest. That is not enough. The Bush administration talked a good plan but has not delivered progress. U.S. leadership in brokering, enforcing and bankrolling a resolution is the only hope of success.