Posted on 07/28/2006 7:22:58 AM PDT by kellynla
Bush & Blair news conference 12:30ET
Blair: Purpose of international force to stabilize the situation and to allow Lebanon's armed forces to come down from the north and occupy the south and do what UN Resolution 1559 intended.
(It doesn't sound like to me that Lebanon's leaders care about #1559).
I never thought he would!
Absolutely. What's been tried in the past clearly hasn't worked so it's time for something new.
Good point by Bush in stating "what kind of state has a political party armed? We need to help the Sinora govt" (Lebanon).
At least the ones trotting in front of the cameras.
"Tony is TOO infatuated with the UN...he still hasn't figured out that to get anything done...the UN should be left OUT!"
The UN is completely emasculated - but it is important to quote them all the time. Its not that they do anything, but it gives the IMPRESSION to the naive that you are prepared to be flexible, and nice, and generally a good guy.
The UN exists to be used.
?: What's your message for Iran and Syria since it's the crisis for the 21st century..
Bush: Give up your nuclear weapon ambitions. THat's my message to Iran. My message to Syria is to become an active participant for peace.
Blair: Iran and Syria have a choice. They may think they can avoid this choice; they can't. They can either come in and participate as proper members of the international community or they face the risk of increasing confrontation. Being proper members of the international community means that we insist they change their government, although we'd like to see that. But they have to stop supporting terrorism and stop trying to prevent the democracy in Iraq.
no they aren't. follow the news, israel is the one who, so far, had decided not to go "all in" in this one. they have conducted the ground operations with only 2 brigades, making only minor incursions into lebanon.
its just the opposite - Bush gave them every chance, stood alone to back them 100% - if they decide not to pursue, its on israel, not the US.
Well said. If Israel needs more time to do what must be done, then endless UN debate is a way to give them that time.
It's amazing. They are basically calling for a civil war in Lebanon in order to implement Resolution 1554. With the International community supporting the Government side.
Completely ignored is Hezbolla's - and Syria and Iran's- reaction.
It's all fiction. Either they are committing the International community to war against Hezbolla or they are asking for what they claim they are against- a cease fire at the status quo ante.
Gregory trying to drag Iraq into this discussion and the anti-Israel statement by one of the ministers. Nonsense.
I hope Gregory gets spanked by both Bush *and* Blair.
David Gregory, on the other hand, will never learn. Does this idiot really think Iraq's government is more anti-Israel than it was under Hussein?
Bush said that Lebanon and Israel must agree to the solution.
I agree with you...I think this is for SHOW...
BUSH slamming down on Gregory???
The more Bush talks...the more I am convinced that he has no intention of going the "appeasment" route in Lebanon.
Did he say, "Being proper members of the international community means not that we insist they change their government, . . . " ?
And this is news?!
I think then the president went on to say "Give up your ambitions"; not sure how to answer your question.
Gregory: You argued an invasion of Iraq would help the peace in the ME and yet Malaki sharply criticized Israel. Both of the warnings you've given Syria and Iran to stop supporting Hezbollah, they have ignored you. So what does that mean about your clout in this region to which you're committed.
Bush: We have a foreign policy that addresses the root causes of violence and instability. For a while America's foriegn policy was managed calm but beneath the surface was resentment and anger that manifested itself on 9/11. So on the one hand, we've said we'll prevent another attack by being aggressive and bringing them to justice; and make no mistake - they are still out there. So we want to give them a more hopeful ideology - freedom.
A lot of people don't think freedom can overcome ideology of hatred but I believe it's possible and will happen. So we're seeing a clash of governing styles. Democracy emerging scares the totalitarians. It frightens them. They've always been violent.
I hear this amazing kind of editorial thought that all of a sudden Hezbollah has beomce violent because we promote democracy? They've always been violent. Militants don't want a Palestinian state based on democratic principles.
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