IS BUSH PROMOTING PEACE ON HIS TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST, OR ARRANGING ANOTHER WAR?
Posted on 19. Mar, 2010 by admin in Middle East travel
http://www.gregpalast.com/george-of-arabia-better-kiss-your-abe-goodbye/#more-1944
Posted on 19. Mar, 2010 by admin in Middle East travel
http://www.gregpalast.com/george-of-arabia-better-kiss-your-abe-goodbye/#more-1944
MindRevolution
19. Mar, 2010
pffff I think we all already know the answer to this question
asafegous
19. Mar, 2010
both
SoulMate83
19. Mar, 2010
Arranging another war,what else?
Peace out!
baby doll
19. Mar, 2010
for public is peace, for himself is a war !!!
Aryan dude[Mohammad Ali M]
19. Mar, 2010
yea, bush and promoting peace is like fire and water, they can never get along, but even if one day water and fire get along, bush and peace will not!
Additional Details:
01:44 A.M. 01/16/2008
I am from Iran ( Persia) and i know he is trying his best to go to war with Iran. but Iran is Not Iraq.
Q: You often say Iran is not Iraq.
“President Bush: Yes, I do say that.”
- White House Rose Garden, April 28, 2006
____
“Iran is not Iraq. We have said that before.”
- Press Secretary Scott McClellan, White House press briefing, April 4, 2006
____
“But we know that Iraq is not – Iran is not Iraq. But this is a different set of circumstances in that this is a case that has a diplomatic course available.”
- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, interview with Chicago’s WGN TV, April 19, 2006
____
“To state the obvious, Mr. President, Iran is not Iraq. And the president has no authority to begin unilateral military operations against Iran. In this regard, I would strongly urge my colleagues to consider that the issue before us is not the politics of Iran, but the proper procedures with respect to how we, as a government, lead the United States.”
- Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), U.S. Senate, April 25, 2007
____
“Iran is not Iraq, Iran is not Afghanistan. They still cannot leave [those two countries], it is impossible for them to invade Iran.”
- Iranian Vice President Isfandiar Rahim Mashaee, Jakarta, Indonesia, Feb. 9, 2006
____
“‘Iran is not Iraq,’ says Gary Sick, a specialist on Iran and director of the Middle East Institute at Columbia University. ‘It’s not North Korea, and it’s not even Syria.’”
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 11, 2003
____
“If we attack Iran, as I fear we are on a course to do, we will unleash a hell unlike anything this region has seen. Iran is not Iraq. It has not been under sanctions for 10 years. It has not been bombed flat by the Gulf War. It is a strong nation with weapons. We will make ourselves once again less safe if we attack them.”
- Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA)- House of Representatives, April 25, 2006
____
“Iran is not Iraq, incidentally, it is a different situation…”
- British Prime Minister Tony Blair, press conference with the prime minister of Slovakia in Bratislava, March 9, 2006
____
“If they have a little bit of a brain, they would not commit such a mistake. Iran is not Iraq. Iraq was a weak country, it did not have a legitimate government. Iran is a powerful country.”
- Ali Larijani, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, May 8, 2006
____
“Secretary Rice: Let me be very clear and go to the bottom line. Iran is not Iraq. I know that’s what’s on people’s minds. Iran is not Iraq. The circumstances are different. We don’t have 12 years of Security Council resolutions, a case in which a state attacked its neighbor or tried to annex its neighbor, as it did with Kuwait, where we were still in a state of war after the armistice in 1991. I just want to be very clear: Iran is not Iraq. …
“Foreign Secretary Straw: Well, people have listened to this interview. I’ve said what I’ve said and secondly the president of the United States saying he doesn’t take the option off the table. But in practice, you’ve just heard the secretary of state say very eloquently that Iran is not Iraq. Of course we understand. We both understand. The two governments understand why people are so worried about the prospect of military action against Iran being imminent. Because of what they thought happened in Iraq. But as the secretary said, there is a huge difference. I mean, 12 years of Security Council resolutions. Iraq invaded two of its neighbors…”
- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, interview, Liverpool, England, April 1, 2006
____
“Iran is not Iraq. Iran is not a threat to the United States, and if anybody tells you that, they don’t know anything about the history of Iran. Nothing.”
- 2008 presidential candidate and former Alaska senator Mike Gravel, University of Michigan, Oct. 26, 2007
“Iraq and Iran are not the same situations, and I think the president previously has talked about that. When he was in Europe he said Iran is not Iraq.”
- Scott McClellan, White House press briefing, Jan. 13, 2006
____
“[L]et me say regardless of, of what had or hadn’t been found in Iraq I do not happen to think that military action in this situation would be appropriate. I mean, as President Bush’s spokesman has said, Iran is not Iraq…”
- British Prime Minister Tony Blair, interview with Channel 4 News, Jan.16, 2006
____
“Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran’s IAEA ambassador: Iran is looking for peaceful settlement. Iran is looking for cooperation with Europe and Russia and other countries. And we want peace in this region.
“Therefore, this is a matter of warning for making a historical mistake in the IAEA in Vienna, and this would be a new chapter which would be unfortunate decision. Therefore, this is a matter of, in fact, warning not to make a mistake and not to go towards confrontation.
“Becky Anderson, CNN international correspondent: Are you warning the West or are you warning the U.S. at this point?
“Soltanieh: Well, if we review what unilateral policy of U.S. has caused, the difficulties in the region, ignoring the international expectation with what happened in Iraq with the assumption, the wrong assumption on the WMDs or so, therefore, what we are worrying that the same mistake will be made, particularly the mistake is that Iran is not Iraq. They have to understand that.”
- CNN interview transcript, Feb. 2, 2006
____
“Question: Is the U.S. taking military action off the table? Is the U.S. taking unilateral military action against –
“Mr. McClellan: Well, I think the president has made it pretty clear, he said previously Iran is not Iraq. We are working with the international community to resolve this in a peaceful and diplomatic manner. That’s what we’ve been doing and that’s what we continue to do. In terms of options, you know the president has already addressed that. The president has made it clear we never take options off the table.”
- Scott McClellan, White House press briefing, Jan. 10, 2006
____
“Again, I think we all – and let me just go to the bottom line. Iran is not Iraq. This is a very different set of circumstances. We were in a state of hostilities with Iraq for 12 years after the end of the Gulf War. The Iraqis were practically every day shooting at American and British planes as they tried to patrol the no-fly zone. This was a different situation. But in Iraq, we did not over that 12 years maintain international unity. That’s what we have to strive to do in Iran.”
- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, roundtable with journalists, Athens, Greece, April 25, 2006
____
“Well I think the current circumstances it [attacking Iran] would not be conceivable. It would not be appropriate. And what’s more Jim, because I know that and I understand why, what you’re seeking to do is to suggest there is some kind of difference of opinion between the United Kingdom government and the United States. There isn’t. Allow me to quote this: Iran is not Iraq. We’re working with the international community to resolve this in a peaceful and diplomatic manner. That’s what we continue to do. That’s my opinion. It also happens to be the opinion of the White House. It is literally not on the agenda. …
“This can, this can only be resolved by peaceful means. Let us be clear about that. No one is talking about invading Iran or taking military action against Iran. And again to quote the White House, Iran is not Iraq. And let me, let me say why. The point about Iraq was that it had invaded two of its neighbors. It had launched missiles against five of its neighbors. It incontrovertibly had had chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons programs. Now in the case of Iran, although we have a real problem with Iran, it has not invaded any of its neighbors. It did not launch missile attacks against any of its neighbors and nor so far as the nuclear weapon program is concerned do we have categorical evidence that it is developing a nuclear weapon and I’ve made…”
- British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, BBC interview, Jan. 13, 2006
____
“First of all, let me go right to the crux of the question: The United States of America understands and believes that Iran is not Iraq. The Iraq circumstances had a special character going back for 12 years of suspended hostilities after a war of aggression which Saddam Hussein himself launched and in which those hostilities continued for that period of 12 years.”
- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Athens, Greece, April 25, 2006
____
“”Now we are nudging up against a real tough problem because Iran is not Iraq and it’s not North Korea.”
- U.S. Ambassador Norman Wulf, speaking at a nuclear nonproliferation panel in Santa Fe, N.M., Oct. 30, 2005
____
“We believe there are many differences between Iran and Iraq, or Afghanistan. In the political system of Iran, there are a lot of differences with the system that used to be in Iraq or Afghanistan. The situation of the people and how they look at our government in Iran is very different from the situation of the Iraqi people under Saddam’s regime. Iran’s geographical composition is very different to that of Iraq. I previously referred to the resolve of the Iranian people. In their beliefs, the Iraqi people are very similar to us, but there are some differences.
“These differences basically make Iran’s power very different from that of Iraq. The Americans know these differences well because they used to live in this country in the past. They are clearly aware of Iran’s geographical composition and the Iranian people’s capabilities. They know that Iran is not Iraq.”
- Mohammad Ali Jafari, head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, TV interview, Nov. 29, 2007
____
“No, there is just a very, very obvious thing, which is Iran is not Iraq. Nobody is talking about military invasion; people do, however, want to send a very strong signal to Iran because some of the comments made by the president of Iran are totally unjustifiable, Iran is supporting terrorism in the region to the detriment of democratic governments, it is in breach of its nuclear obligations and people want it to comply. And so the real issue for me in respect of Iran is well what are you going to do about it? And all I am saying, as I said at Prime Minister’s Questions last week, is that it is not very sensible at this moment in time to send a signal of weakness, we want to send a signal of strength. But I repeat, Iran is not Iraq, and people are very, very well aware of that here and over the water.”
- British Prime Minister Tony Blair, monthly press conference, April 24, 2006
____
“I want to be very clear: the president of the United States doesn’t take any of his options off the table. But we understand that Iran is not Iraq. This is a very different situation, and we believe that the diplomatic course and the many, many tools that we have on the diplomatic side will ultimately succeed.”
-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, interview with Michael Grypiotis, Greek State Broadcasting, Athens, Greece, April 25, 2006
____
“Iran is not Iraq, and its condition is not comparable to that of Iraq before the American invasion.”
- Iraq’s IAEA Ambassador Tariq Aqrawi, interview with IRNA, November 2007
____
“Iran is not Iraq. There is no Saddam Hussein who determines everything.”
- Gary Sick, former U.S. National Security Council official, Council on Foreign Relations interview, Sept. 26, 2007
____
“We are working with our European friends, we are working with Turkey; we want to work with Russia and China and develop a united front to demonstrate to Iran that it needs to forgo its nuclear weapons ambitions and work with the international community. So I want to make clear Iran is not Iraq and it is our hope that a diplomatic solution can be found and we welcome Turkey’s help in this regard.”
- Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried, Washington, D.C. forum on U.S.-Turkey relations with Turkish diplomats, May 18, 2006
____
“When Mr. Bush became president, Mr. Fidel Castro was asked his opinion about Bush. Mr. Castro answered by saying, ‘I hope he’s not as stupid as he looks.’ Regarding whether Mr. Bush would do such a thing, I should say that the Americans cannot attack us, either in the form of surgical strikes … or by deploying their forces. Iraq is a clear and outstanding example. Iran is not Iraq; Americans know that Iran is not a place that would let them in. I’m not saying that we would not get hurt by such an attack, but at the same time, we would not let Americans escape unhurt…”
-Hossein Shariatmadari, editor in chief of Iranian state newspaper Kayhan, PBS Frontline interview, Aug. 1, 2007
____
“I was asked about it on the television last night and I said it was absurd to think that we are going to go invade Iran. Iran is not Iraq…”
- British Prime Minister Tony Blair, interview with Jon Snow, Channel 4 News, May 3, 2005
____
“Miles O’Brien: All that talk of military action and even a nuclear option may be nothing more than saber-rattling. The truth is, the administration does not have as many options in how to deal with Iran than it did with Iraq. [Begin videotape.]
“Condoleezza Rice: I just want to be very clear. Iran is not Iraq.
“Miles O’Brien (voice-over): They share a border and a dubious distinction. Both are charter members of the president’s axis of evil. But in countless ways, these two countries pose different dilemmas for the U.S. as it considers diplomatic and military options.
“Iran is twice as big as Iraq. Three times the population. Protected by mountains. No chance of an easy armored sprint across the desert here.
“Michael O’Hanlon, Brookings Institution: Iran is basically two to three times as tough of a military target as Iraq for an all out war.
“Miles O’Brien: Unlike Iraq, and in part because the U.S. is stretched thin there, a ground invasion of Iran is not a realistic option. But what about a bombing mission? Iranian centrifuges and a central port of its nuclear program are buried deep, perhaps out of harm’s way. And even if U.S. war planes did inflict damage, it could be a hollow victory with far reaching consequences.
“Gen. Anthony Zinni, (ret.), former Centcom commander: We should not fool ourselves to think it will just be a strike and then it would be over. The Iranians will retaliate and they have many possibilities in an area where there are many vulnerabilities from our troop positions, to the oil and gas in the region that can be interrupted, to attacks on Israel, to the conduct of terrorism.”
- CNN broadcast transcript, April 11, 2006
____
The Americans have for long maintained, demonstrated, and acted upon the conviction that assurances of non-diversion of the [International Atomic Energy] Agency are not credible. The same conviction lead that country to ignite a war in no less than two years ago. But is this déjà vu again? I am sorry, not this time – Iran is not Iraq, and the United States is not that self-appointed policeman of the world anymore.”
- Cyrus Nasseri, Iranian ambassador to the IAEA, Aug. 11, 2005
____
“[P]eople are worried that Iran is going to turn into another Iraq and that’s in people’s minds, so we might as well open up and discuss that. Although as Condoleezza Rice was saying last week and President Bush I’ve also heard him say, Iran is not Iraq.”
- British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, BBC interview, April 9, 2006
____
“We do know that Europeans too are against Americans’ attempt to drag the region into another war. We hope that the U.S. President George W. Bush will learn from his mistakes in Iraq, because if we move into that direction and if any war breaks out, it will entail bitter consequences. Iran is not Iraq, and its conditions are fully different from hers. In case of any war, Bush should be held accountable.”
- Iran’s ambassador to France Ali Ahani, Paris, quoted by IRNA, March 28, 2007
____
“But Iran is not Iraq, these are two very different circumstances and we believe that the remedies before us are quite robust.”
- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, April 19, 2006
____
“You know, yesterday I was asked about the U.S. position, and I said all options are on the table. That’s part of our position. But I also reminded people that diplomacy is just beginning. Iran is not Iraq.”
- President George W. Bush in Mainz, Germany, with Chancellor Schröder, Feb. 23, 2005
____
“The U.S. officials should comprehend certain issues. Iran is not Iraq. The IAEA inspectors found no document proving Iran uses nuclear technology for military purposes.”
- Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Berlin, quoted by IRIB, April 7,2006
____
“You can’t absolutely predict every set of circumstances that comes about, but sitting here now and talking to you I can tell you that Iran is not Iraq.”
- British Prime Minister Tony Blair, BBC radio interview, Feb. 22, 2007
____
“The elimination of Saddam Hussein from Iraq was more than anything to Iran’s benefit. But even then we were of the belief that the solution is not a military occupation of Iraq. Even then my proposal was that the U.S. and the other permanent members of the Security Council meet with Iraq’s neighbors to come up with a solution for the country – the same as with Afghanistan. But during that time America was arrogant and did not accept this proposal. Today the center of terrorism is located in Iraq … and America is facing problems in Iraq.
“In this situation, because of the experience that the Americans have had with Iraq and because of American public opinion, I don’t believe that the Americans will make the big mistake of attacking Iran. Iran is not Iraq.”
- Mohammad Khatami, former president of Iran, Washington Post interview, Sept. 5, 2006
____
“Tim Russert: And we’re back with the vice president of the United States, Dick Cheney. Let me show you what Mr. Khatami from Iran visiting the United States had to say and read it for you and our viewers: ‘Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami warned that the U.S. military action in the Middle East has backfired, producing greater terrorism, imperiling the future of Iraq, and damaging America’s long-term interest. But the danger of even great instability in the region will ultimately prevent the U.S. from launching military strikes against Iran over disputes about its nuclear intentions. He predicted: “America will not make the same mistake of attacking Iran; Iran is not Iraq.”‘
“Is he right?
“Cheney: Well, we certainly understand Iran is not Iraq.”
- Dick Cheney, interviewed by Tim Russert on Meet the Press, Sept. 10, 2006
kevin t
19. Mar, 2010
I believe that he is making his case to go war with Iran. He did an about face on the NIE.
rabble rouser
19. Mar, 2010
He’s kissing Saudi Butt so he can threaten Iran some more…
Best to keep our heads down and pretend we don’t know him…
Avner Eliyahu R
19. Mar, 2010
Probably arranging another war, God forbid.
Mi Casa Ain't Your Toilet
19. Mar, 2010
I wish I could tell you that he was on a peace mission. Unfortunately the man is not a Christian. He believes that peace can come from force. He feeds the evil. Not the good.
Simain Menace
19. Mar, 2010
I live in Abu Dhabi and he was here trying to convince the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) that they need to go to way with Iran.
So then he can step in and take over…
That is why he is over here offering them arms deals.
Humanist
19. Mar, 2010
It’s clear that Mr Bush has one eye on history. This 8 day whizz around the Middle East has had nothing to do with promoting peace (ala Israel’s murder of 18 people yesterday), but trying to drum up support amongst his lackey leaders in the corrupt Arab States for a war against the Shia /Persian Iran. Fortunately, his pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
logical373
19. Mar, 2010
He is trying to arrange a war against Iran as ordered by his israeli terrorists masters.
Its the same story that hapened in Iraq.
http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=639
israel is taking america DOWN.
lilly4
19. Mar, 2010
If it is another war, you can bet the Democrats will agree, vote for it, then try to say they did not do it, again.
Sarcaztic Baztard
19. Mar, 2010
Bush is on record saying he is a “war president”. He never said he was a “peace president”.
Hell, no one remembers a “peace president”.
Bush NEEDS to be remembered.
Pollux Is Better
19. Mar, 2010
Guess the car bomb that targeted Americans in Lebanon was fiction, huh?
bigjon5555
19. Mar, 2010
NO DOUBT ARRANGING A PLAN FOR ANOTHER WAR.THE BULLY IS TRYING TO PUSH HIS WEIGHT AROUND AGAIN.ALL A PLOT FOR HIS ONE WORLD ORDER UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.WE CONQUER THE OIL COUNTRIES. WE CONQUER THE WHOLE WORLD.EVER HEARD THE OLD SAYING THE BIGGER THEY ARE THE HARDER THEY FALL.THAT;S WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE UNITED STATES IF WE DON;T LEARN TO STAY OUT OF OTHER COUNTRIES BUSINESS.AND QUIT TRYING TO DICTATE POLICY TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.
pierric
19. Mar, 2010
pretty obvious answer,although his try to enroll saudi arabia,kuwait and the UAE in a new coalition to attack iran is pretty ludicrous.
This denotes once more the total absence of geopolitical as well as psychological knowledge of the guy.
Sheriff
19. Mar, 2010
he announces the sale of smart bombs and jets and then the powerful saudi king tells him no he will not increase oil supply like Bush I arranged to do. a ringing failure. a least it helps the military industrial business in usa. they need to eat, too. the poor fellow is reeling around in a desperate attempt to raise some money and get more oil. has no trust at home or abroad. pitiful. help!
Ken B
19. Mar, 2010
Shhhhhh…I’m still working on the invasion plans.
Westhill
19. Mar, 2010
I think he’s trying to line up the Arab monarchs against Iran as a prelude to bombing Iran.
If he doesn’t strike Iran during the next 12 months, the photo ops and meetings with the princes will be painted as diplomacy by Republican historians. Then, if the next president accomplishes positive change in the middle east, Republican historians will date these changes to Bush’s diplomatic overtures in January 2008.
BrunoGiordano
19. Mar, 2010
There is no chance of peace with the Israeli war with Palestine split and the crazed filling Gaza. Bush is just grandstanding.
Bush is creating an occupational force in Iraq to support his soon-to-be war against Iran. He is also arming the Saudis quite nicely now. He does like kingdoms, sultanate, dictatorships.
He has the oil companies quite snug in the Kingdom of Kuwait and there is some suggestion that they are, once again, horizontal drilling into Iraq and stealing Iraqi oil. This is what started off Iraq in the first place. Iraq instituted an international complain about this drilling when Bush Sr was president. The complaint was ignored and Iraq invaded Kuwait and Bush went to war with Iraq. All could easily have been dealt with through negotiation and correcting the theft.
Golden
19. Mar, 2010
well he is certainly not leading a Kumbaya sing-along with the House of Saud. shrub is self-proclaimed “the War president.”
oohaY rosneC
19. Mar, 2010
He is clearly building the case for at least targeted bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities. With respect to Saudi Arabia and the sale of weapons, just watch Opec’s Oil output over the next year, it will go up as a result of the weapons sale, in hope of lowering the price of gas before the election. It along with everything Lil’ Bush does will not work. I believe Cheney is the the one who is hell bent on World War 3 and that his ambitions drive most of our foreign policy and hence the perpetual state of war.
kolacat17
19. Mar, 2010
Halliburton cannot make money from peace…..
He has to leave office with a lasting legacy….perhaps he thinks WW3 would be a fitting momento to remember him by……………..
catrionn
19. Mar, 2010
Of course he’s arranging another war.
He owes a lot to weapons corporations for helping him get “elected.” And the whole Bush crime family is in bed with the Saudis.
I am Awesome
19. Mar, 2010
Transmitted below is an editorial in the form of an open letter to President George W. Bush which was published at the top of the front page of the GULF NEWS (Dubai), the leading English-language newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, shortly before Mr. Bush’s arrival in the UAE.
Dear Mr. President;
On the occasion of your first official trip to this vital region, it is only appropriate to raise a few points which might also be raised by the leaders you meet. Unfortunately, you landed here with prejudice and pre-formed opinions. By describing Israel, moments after you arrived, as “the land of freedom” and “justice”, you have shown total ignorance of the political situation in the Middle East and the issue you claim to want to solve in the remaining 12 months of your presidency. Israel, Mr. President, continues to defy every UN resolution, exercise unprecedented oppression on the occupied Palestinian people and persecute its Muslim and Christian population. We realise that containing Iran, selling more weapons and securing cheap oil supplies are the main issues on your mind as you tour the region. But you need to look beyond the neocon rhetoric and speak directly to the people who have been unjustly thrown out of their land, victimised by your “strong ally” Israel. As for other matters, such as the promise of democracy and human rights, which you are expected to raise in your official talks in the region, we really don’t take them seriously. Your dreadful record on both gives you no moral right to lecture others.
TLest you forget. Invasion of Iraq. Thousands of dead. Looting the National Museum. Disbanding the Iraqi army. Donald Rumsfeld. Shock and Awe. Jay Garner. Paul Bremer. Inciting sectarianism. Abu Ghraib. Thousands of detainees without charges. Torture. Oil. Ghost WMDs. The Niger connection. Halliburton. Blackwater. Deadly security contractors. Mercenaries. Fallujah. Haditha massacre. Blind support of Israel. Instigating the suffering of Gaza. Ignoring the expansion of illegal colonies. Defying United Nations resolutions. Securing “a Jewish State”. Allowing Israelis to extend the destruction of Lebanon in the 2oo6 war. Providing Israel with new Bunker Buster bombs to attack Lebanese towns. The War on Terror. “The Crusade”. Clash of civilisations. Where is Osama Bin Laden? Afghanistan. Bagram massacre. Bombing media offices. Guantanamo Bay. Kangaroo courts. Indefinite detention. Presidential orders to ignore Geneva Conventions. “Unlawful enemy combatants”. Illegal National Security Agency wiretapping. Fingerprinting visitors. Black prisons. Kidnapping foreign citizens on foreign lands. Khalid Al Masri. Abu Omar. Maher Arar. Central Intelligence Agency. “Aggressive interrogation techniques”. Destroying the torture tapes. Iran tension. Isolating Syria. Embracing Syrian opposition Iraq style. The Chavez coup. Denial of global warming. Rejecting Kyoto Protocol. Marginalisation of the United Nations. John Bolton. Paul Wolfowitz and the World Bank. Carl Rove. Alberto Gonzales. Firing attorneys. Nepotism. False democracy promises. Dick Cheney, Dick Cheney and Dick Cheney.
Mr President;
The list goes on. You might not be able to recall some of it. But the people around you, Cheney and Condoleezza Rice especially, would. And they realise that on the subject of human rights, your administration has had the worst record of all, surpassing most Third World countries. The tension and the misery in parts of this region can very well testify to this.
Mr President;
In a famous speech in 2003 you announced an “historic” shift in US foreign policy. You pledged to support democracy and liberty while declaring “victory” in Iraq. More than four years later, Iraq is in chaos. It has virtually disintegrated and “the surge” did little to stop the killing or ease the sectarian tension. At the same time, you gave up on your freedom-for-all prophecy. We are all back to the old ways of doing business – arms and oil. The agenda of your current tour is evident.
Mr President;
This is your first official trip to a land you long claimed has a very special place in your heart. The land of the Prophets. However, you started out wrong. By maintaining your support of an Israeli “Jewish State”, you are flouting your own ideals upon which your great country was founded more than two centuries ago. So much for the promise of democracy. What you advocate in fact is the creation of states on religious and racial lines, thereby justifying the atrocious actions of terrorists who hate and seek to eliminate the followers of other religions: The same terrorists you like to blame for every ill on earth and every failure of yours.
Mr President;
It has been reported that you are here to “lecture” us on democracy and human rights. But with a record like yours, you will not be very convincing. The people you are addressing have greater respect for human rights and dignity.
You also said that your current tour aims to realise the long neglected peace in the Middle East. Regional peace, Mr President, will not be achieved by escalating tension and threatening to change regimes. And most importantly, it will not be achieved by supporting Israel, which continues to defy international law, occupy Arab lands, oppress the Palestinians and rebuff peace initiatives.
Mr President;
We hope you have enjoyed the trip so far. The scenery is great. The food is exotic. As for the more “serious” things, it is unlikely you will make any difference.