1/5 Roundup: Splitting Gaza, Lowering Expectations, More Bushes

Leader: Israeli Forces Split Gaza

- After a week of shelling the physical infrastructure of Hamas, the Israeli military entered Gaza yesterday, dividing the Strip into halves.  Under covering fire from air, sea, and land, forces seized key rocket-launching sites and surrounded the main city. In the past week, over 500 Palestinians have been killed. One Israeli soldier was killed in the ground campaign.

- The Wall Street Journal notes that this conflict is characterized by a sharp divergence in strategy from Israel's 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Most importantly, the Israeli leadership has set modest and achievable goals for the campaign.

- Israel may have chosen this time to strike in part because they're about to say farewell to a long-time ally in Washington-- President George Bush.  Had they waited until after 1/20, an assault would have looked as though they were making an unkind statement about PEBO.

- Obama has remained silent throughout the conflict, maintaining his rule of "one president at a time" with regard to foreign policy matters.

Politics

- Governor Bill Richardson, Obama's choice to head the Commerce Department, has withdrawn his name from consideration for the post. An ongoing investigation involving one of his donors in New Mexico would likely have delayed his confirmation. In a statement yesterday, Richardson took pains to make clear that he had engaged in no wrong doing.

- Tim Kaine will take over for Howard Dean as Chairman of the DNC.  Kaine has one more year Governing Virginia, and will presumably be very busy until January of 2010. 

- Al Franken looks poised become the victor in the never-ending recount of the Minnesota Senatorial election.  The final margin? 225 votes.

- Mr. Obama is coming to Washington today! The rest of the family arrived Saturday, so that the girls could start school this morning.

- Howard Fineman can think of eight reasons why Obama might want to try to lower some expectations. 

Economy

- Time gives grades to various aspects of the bailout in their "Bailout Report Card." Not surprisingly, everybody gets an F in the "keep people in their homes" department.

- Remember when we were promised an economic stimulus on January 20th?  Yeah, I didn't think that sounded likely either. We were right.

International

- John Atta Mills won a very close runoff and will serve as the next president of Ghana. Outside observers say there was no evidence of corruption.   He assures Ghanaians that he will be "a president for all," which sounds awfully familiar to me.

- The US is moving into a brand new embassy in Baghdad today. It cost nearly $600 million, is the biggest embassy in the world, and is guarded like a fortress.  It is meant to represent the new role of the US in Iraq, as ally, rather than occupier.

One More Thing

- Foreignpolicy.com has a new look and a new mission that Politico and I think is pretty cool.

- George Bush the first thinks his son Jeb would make a terrific president some day.  Shudder.

- Last, Happy New Year, everyone!  I feel good about 2009.  So, apparently, did the kissers and mooners in Lake Tahoe: