Posted on 05/20/2007 6:36:00 PM PDT by Wolfstar
PRESIDENTIAL NEWS OF THE DAY: President and Mrs. Bush welcomed NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and his wife to Prairie Chapel Ranch today. Talks between the two leaders were expected to focus on Afghanistan, where NATO troops are fighting a newly emboldened Taliban enemy.
NATO chief in Texas for talks with Bush on Afghanistan
by Laurent Lozano
1 hour, 18 minutes agoCRAWFORD, United States (AFP) - US President George W. Bush welcomed Sunday NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at his Texas ranch for talks focused largely on fighting a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan.
Bush himself drove a pickup truck to meet De Hoop Scheffer's helicopter as it landed at the president's sprawling ranch here, where discussions are expected to cover the recent strong showing by Taliban insurgents and civilian deaths in Afghanistan, which threaten to erode support for US troops and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force backing the Kabul government.
Bush is expected to seek reinforced allied commitments to participating in the US "war on terror" campaigns in Afghanistan if not Iraq.
Also likely on the agenda are Kosovo, expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the US effort to position a strategic anti-missile defense system in Europe, according to the White House.
De Hoop Scheffer arrived amid heightened tensions driven by Russia's objection to the anti-missile shield's expansion to Central Europe.
Bush and the NATO leader will have a working dinner with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates late Sunday, and further meetings early Monday.
In the meantime, the venomous Jimmy Carter, criticized the Bush administration quite bitterly today. This from the former president whose disastrous policies toward Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the rest of the Middle East, as well as then-rising Islamic terrorism, are directly responsible for the crisis of radical Islamism abroad in the world today. Fortunately, the White House did not let Carter's caustic remarks go unanswered.
'Carter is irrelevant,' Bush administration shoots back
POSTED: 3:53 p.m. EDT, May 20, 2007CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- The nasty words between President Bush and former President Jimmy Carter continued Sunday.
In a biting rebuke to Carter calling the Bush administration the "worst in history," the White House on Sunday dismissed Carter as "increasingly irrelevant."
Carter was quoted Saturday in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette as saying "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history." (Read full story)
The Georgia Democrat said Bush had overseen an "overt reversal of America's basic values" as expressed by previous administrations, including that of his own father, former President George H.W. Bush.
White House spokesman Tony Fratto shot back Sunday from Crawford, Texas, where Bush spent the weekend.
"I think it's sad that President Carter's reckless personal criticism is out there," said Fratto. "I think it's unfortunate. And I think he is proving to be increasingly irrelevant with these kinds of comments."
Carter was in Arkansas promoting "Sunday Mornings in Plains," a collection of weekly Bible lessons from his hometown of Plains, Georgia.
"Apparently, Sunday mornings in Plains for former President Carter includes hurling reckless accusations at your fellow man," said Amber Wilkerson, Republican National Committee spokeswoman.
She said it was hard to take Carter seriously because he also "challenged Ronald Reagan's strategy for the Cold War."
Carter's comments, which were published Saturday, were confirmed by his spokeswoman Deanna Congileo to The Associated Press on Saturday. She declined to elaborate.
Carter also said Saturday that Britain's support for the war in Iraq was a "major tragedy" for the world, as he criticized Tony Blair's unwavering support for President Bush.
Asked how he would judge Blair's support of Bush, Carter said: "Abominable. Loyal. Blind. Apparently subservient."
"And I think the almost undeviating support by Great Britain for the ill-advised policies of President Bush in Iraq have been a major tragedy for the world," Carter told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
Blair was in Baghdad Saturday morning for what will be his last trip to Iraq as British prime minister. Last week, Blair announced that he would step down June 27, making way for treasury chief Gordon Brown.
THE WEEK AHEAD:
— Monday, the President participates in a joint media availability with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Crawford, Texas, before returning with the First Lady (and the dogs) to Washington.— Tuesday, no public events are scheduled.
— Wednesday, the Commander in Chief delivers the commencement address at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.
— Thursday, the schedule has not been announced.
— Friday, no public events are scheduled. The first couple are scheduled to spend the Memorial Day weekend at Camp David, Although it has not been announced, they are likely to return to Washington for the annual Memorial Day commemoration at Arlington National Cemetery.
These people are doing the heavy work so we can have the freedom to sit around on an internet forum and argue with one another.
Amen to that! And I thank God and pray for these men and women who are in harm’s way so that they can get back home safely just as fast as they can. Blessings to each and every one of them. And daily prayers lifted for their safety and wellbeing.
Jane
YEP!
I got the name from Pippi Longstockings becaise Billie had posted a graphic with Pippi on it back when we were doing something on the Canteen thread in '02 with red hair and I said I didn't have red hair. so she posted Pippi. everyone suggested I change me screenname to Pippi but "Pippi" was taken at the time, so I added the N and changed it to my favorite hobbit character inh "Lord of the Rings" (even if he's a boy hobbit) Pippin is cute enough to be a girl's name too ;o)
Great to see you Pip hope you can visit more often
((((((((((hugs))))))))
I knew you wouldn’t! I just hope we
see more of you than we have. You have
been missed more than you think! :D
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.