Where do we go from here?

The words are coming out all weird ...

Aside from the unfortunate performance of Justice Roberts - or, as my editor affectionately calls him, "the little boy" - and CNN's exhausting, annoying broadcast of every single inaugural ball/dance, Tuesday pretty much lived up to the hype.

Millions on the Mall. A speech built to both seize the moment and echo through history. A lot of goosebumps, and a sense of deep pride that's hard to describe.

So what now?

Well, it looks like we'll finally be getting back to business diplomatically. The president has spoken frequently of his intention to engage the global community - particularly the Muslim world - and it would seem that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may be the ground he chooses to make his first stand.

Ambitious? Undoubtedly. Smart? I think so.



There was at one point talk of a speech in Indonesia, which at first blush also seemed like a shrewd and potentially profitable move on President Obama's part. But the fact remains that the Palestinian situation is perhaps the most critical hot-button issue in the Middle East and Muslim world, the issue which more than any other breeds anti-American and anti-Western sentiment. To make a good faith effort at peace - especially in light of the recent conflict in Gaza, and in recognition of Israel's timing of the cease fire and withdrawal with the inauguration - is likely the most important measure the president could take both substantively and symbolically.

The stakes, of course, are extremely high, and the downside of failure immense. But what better time will the president have to capitalize on the incredible goodwill he is receiving both here and abroad? When will the world have a higher opinion of him? At what other point is the sheer force of his personality likely to hold such power in terms of diplomatic leverage?

In spite of the messianic hoopla surrounding Barack Obama, miracles are, of course, not in his repertoire. Peace in the Holy Land - the land of eternal conflict - is one tough nut to crack.

Pragmatism and inventive thinking, however, have been hallmarks of the president's career. Utilizing his current international standing to set in motion a new peace process in Israel and Palestine seems, to this observer, a prime example of both those virtues.