bret stephens, foreign affairs columnist at "the wall street journal."rom washington, jeffrey goldberg, and professor abbas milani of stanford university and i'm pleased to have each of them here. and i will begin with jeffrey goldberg in washington. where do you think the obama middle east policy and gulf policy stands today? >> that's a very good question. and it's a bit of a mystery to many people. i think they are in transition. they are in transition away from, let's say, an idea liftic or hopeful mode to a kind of sober recognition that iran might not want to play at all. and, therefore, we, the united states, are going to do everything possible to buttress our arab allies in the region and buttress israel as well, with the caveat, of course, that the obama administration would add this point much rather see israel not take military action against iran. >> mitchell has been criticized because of the penalty on settlements and others say he is on the job every day working hard. what is your take? jeffrey? >> that's to me? i think that there's a feel