ANALYSIS:

President-elect Barack Obama's silence during the early days of Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip speaks volumes about the complexity of the Middle East crisis that he will soon inherit and may preserve some of his options for when he is able to act on his own - outside the shadows of President Bush.

U.S. Jewish groups beckoned Monday for a sign of support for Israel from the incoming president while a prominent Muslim group sought a condemnation for a military response that it viewed as excessive. Yet Mr. Obama remained silent as he vacationed in Hawaii, leaving the U.S. response thus far as the Bush administration's unequivocal support for the Jewish state.

Continue reading:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/dec/30/obamas-silence-lets-him-assess-conflict-reaction/