Do you know the way to Sharm el-Sheikh?

This is the kind of statement that needs more than raised eyebrows:

Mr Gates earlier said that an essential goal for their trip was to reassure moderate Arab leaders that the US's intervention in Iraq was designed to bring peace to the region.

I'm sure that 'moderate Arab leaders' (moderate = support US policies) have their own views after 4 years of war what the US intervention was designed for. In any case, spreading democracy is now unmentioned when talking to the moderate princes and potentates of the region.

It's hard to say what the real purpose of the Bob and Condi show is, so far it's been nothing but platitudes and arms sales. The meetings in Sharm el-Sheikh have concluded, the only interesting fact I've seen is that Rice met with the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia there, before flying on to Saudi Arabia. Was some kind of spade work necessary before meeting with Abdullah? Also, Jordan's Abdullah will also be in Saudi Arabia, rather than Sharm el-Sheikh, maybe he got his signals crossed and was waiting at the Dead Sea.

Speaking of Jordan, I don't see it on the list of countries receiving the latest bounty from the US. I wonder if Jordan has thrown their lot in with the Saudi king, and any benefit to them will be after today's meeting.