Bush Heading to Mid-East

While the news media is focusing intensely on who will be the next president, the current president is headed for a six-nation tour of the mid-east. During the trip, which begins Tuesday, Bush will make his first visit as president to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

In his weekly radio address though, Bush seemed to downplay the Israel-Palestine peace talks he touted just last month giving only a soft statement about supporting the parties in the negotiations. Bush does look to be taking another run at building up the case for action against Iran. He promised that he "will discuss the importance of countering the aggressive ambitions of Iran" with leaders in the Persian Gulf states of Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.

In December, America's intelligence agencies issued a report that Iran likely suspended its pursuit of nuclear weapons in 2003.