This text was updated.

News just broke out that Senator George Mitchell, Obama’s Middle East envoy, is about to resign. In the past months rumors have been rife he will be replaced by the entirely neutral, unbiased Dennis Ross, and at any rate it is clear that Mitchell’s mission has long been at a dead end. He was using his precious time shuttling between two partners who were profoundly disinterested in talking to each other – Netanyahu aiming mostly to buy time until 2012, when he hopes Republicans will retake the Whitehouse; the PA, profoundly and justly pessimistic about negotiating with Netanyahu and entertaining Mitchell only for the minimum of appearances as they prepared fro a unilateral declaration that fall.

Against that background, Mitchell appeared superfluous and even slightly foolish; his diplomatic manners and the gravity he had little choice but to accord to the lip service of the Israelis and Palestinians underscoring the futility of a long-dead peace process with secret negotiations leaking like a sieve. As someone who has studied Mitchell’s work in Northern Ireland, I’m left wishing somehow Obama wouldn’t have done this to him – squandering his talent and prestige on a process that was beyond resusication from the get-go. I can only hope history will remember and cherish Mitchell’s awe-inspiring achievements in Northern Ireland, where he was the right (middle)man, in the right place, in the right time, and charitably forget his neither damaging nor beneficial role in the Middle East.

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UPDATE: Middle East Envoy George Mitchell’s resignation letter to the President:

Dear Mr. President:

When I accepted your request to serve as U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace my intention was to serve for two years. More than two years having passed I hereby resign, effective May 20, 2011. I trust this will provide sufficient time for an effective transition.

I strongly support your vision of comprehensive peace in the Middle East and thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of your administration. It has been an honor for me to again serve our country.

With my gratitude and best wishes.

Statement by the President on the Resignation of Middle East Envoy George Mitchell:

Over the past two and a half years, George Mitchell has worked as a tireless advocate for peace as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East.  His deep commitment to resolving conflict and advancing democracy has contributed immeasurably to the goal of two states living side by side in peace and security.

George told me when he took this job that he would put in a couple of years, and I’m so glad he did. He is – by any measure – one of the finest public servants that our nation has ever had. Even though he already had an extraordinary legacy – serving the people of Maine, leading the Senate, and bringing peace to Northern Ireland – he took on the toughest job imaginable and worked grueling hours to advance the interests of the United States and the cause of peace.

As he returns to his family, George leaves behind a proud legacy of dedicated public service and the country owes him a debt of gratitude for his extraordinary commitment.

As a nation, we remain committed to peace in the Middle East and to building on George’s hard work and progress toward achieving this goal.  Secretary Clinton has asked the Deputy Middle East Envoy, David Hale to serve as the Acting Envoy and I have every confidence in David’s ability to continue to make progress in this important effort.