Posted on 06/25/2004 2:23:18 PM PDT by The Bandit
ENNIS, Ireland President George W. Bush was set to arrive at the heavily guarded Dromoland Castle in County Clare on Friday night as the authorities braced for what were expected to be large demonstrations across Ireland against the U.S. occupation of Iraq.In contrast to the jubilant welcomes accorded to Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and John F. Kennedy, Bush's reception was already developing as frosty, if not outright hostile. Widespread opposition to the Iraq war and revulsion at the Abu Ghraib prison scandal have turned a large portion of Irish popular opinion against him.
Big protests were expected in Dublin and in Shannon, where Air Force One was to land before Bush headed to the EU-U.S. summit at Dromoland Castle. Smaller protests were expected for the cities of Galway, Sligo, Waterford and Tralee in County Kerry.
"Fury and fear as town is turned into a fortress," said the headline in the Irish Examiner. The newspaper quoted the mayor of Shannon as saying that the town's residents were being made into potential targets for a terrorist attack.
Mary O'Rourke, leader of the Irish Senate, refused to attend a recent dinner in celebration of Bush's impending visit at the home of the American ambassador, James Kenny, out of objections to American prison policy at Guantánamo Bay and Abu Ghraib, and for going to war with Iraq, she said. . "Nobody denies we have an affinity with the United States, but that is a different matter from having an affinity with the president," O'Rourke said in the Irish Parliament this week.
But the centrist Irish Independent said in an editorial Friday that while Bush's trip would be the equivalent for the protesters of "a visit from the Devil Incarnate," the demonstrations "seem a bit out of touch."
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
The Irish don't understand Bush, Bush doesn't drink.
LOL
;-)
Bush was being interviewed today by some Irish sassy lass reporterette and did great rebutting all her silly Euro-Lib talking points.
Of course they're hostile: they know he is deathly opposed to terrorists.
Remember when Clinton made the comment about the Irish and drinking? But I bet they would welcome him with open arms.
Bump.
Well I've got news for you, you shanty Irish sob. I'm a descendent of Irishmen and I have NO affinity for socialists or baby killers no matter what they do on St Patty's day.
Ireland needs to remember one thing........disagreement is fine...but you attack the President of the United States .....you are attacking all of us..
Shame on Ireland, makes me sad.
"Bush faces a hostile reception in Ireland."
He should tell them to talk to his complaints desk, which is run by Ms. Deeyenda Maddick.
EXACTLY my thought the first I read this. They're drunk. Again.
Time for a large (and retaliatory) 50% tariff on all Irish linen, Waterd Crystal and Bushmills.
The Irish will learn to shut their mouths really quick once that happens.
But then again, they're Irish. They probably won't have learned a damned thing.
It's like asking a mistreated cat to trust another human, after it's first human hurt it!
Is there a way to write emails to the Irish Parliament and show our displeasure at that woman's lack of manners for not attending the dinner for Bush???
I'm with you! Like some of these Irish mouthpieces have any business bashing Bush and the USA when they sure have many problems of their own....and that sure has gone swimmingly for them.....
sigh, like I really care about what eurotrash thinks.
No rational human should trust anyone who does not drink.
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