Posted on 04/23/2010 4:06:46 PM PDT by GOP_Lady
Dissidents in the world's most oppressive countries aren't feeling the love from President Obama.
No one seems to know precisely who is behind the "Miss Me Yet?" billboardthe cheeky one featuring a grinning George W. Bush that looks out over I-35 near Wyoming, Minn. But Syrian dissident Ahed Al-Hendi sympathizes with the thought.
In 2006, Mr. Hendi was browsing pro-democracy Web sites in a Damascus Internet café when plainclothes cops carrying automatic guns swooped in, cuffed him, and threw him into the trunk of a car. He spent over a month in prison, some of it alone in a 5-by-3 windowless basement cell where he listened to his friend being tortured in the one next door. Those screams, he says, were cold comfortat least he knew his friend hadn't been killed.
Mr. Hendi was one of the lucky ones: He's now living in Maryland as a political refugee where he works for an organization called Cyberdissidents.org. And this past Monday, he joined other international dissidents at a conference sponsored by the Bush Institute at Southern Methodist University to discuss the way digital tools can be used to resist repressive regimes.
He also got to meet the 43rd president. In a private breakfast hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Bush, Mr. Hendi's message to the former president was simple: "We miss you." There have been "a lot of changes" under the current administration, he added, and not for the better.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
He always stood strong for freedom, and is continuing that fight after his presidency.
May his work prosper!
Mostly peer pressure and fear.
They see how people who continue to support President Bush are treated around here, and don't want to be called ugly names as we are.
I'm proud of my continued support of this man of integrity, character, courage and patriotism, and will never allow a name-calling leftist or angry con intimidate me.
PING to an article about our FREEDOM FIGHTER President.
World leaders often expressed respect for President Bush. They may not have agreed with his goals, but the respected him and his integrity. Now all we hear is how Obama is offending and alienating the world.
Yeah, ‘cuz Obama is soooo much better....
Some folks onm FR will never be happy. I wish the detractors would run for office and see if they, themselves, can match their own over the top standards.
I sure miss him. I didn’t wake up every morning in mortal fear for our country.
The hate GW crowd was sold a bill of goods
I’ve seen plenty of pics of obama with other world leaders. Of course he is usually bowing to them. Dubya would never bow to any of them.
Amen and Amen, ohioWfan! :-)
Thank you! You said it so well. Needs to be repeated.
“I wonder why it is we feel the need to always begin compliments of this great man with GWB made some mistakes type remarks...Perfection is Gods realm, we can only strive for excellence. President Bush exemplified excellence in every detail of his life and his leadership. Those who have been brainwashed have lost the chance to admire one of the truly greatest men to ever live. Shame really.”
The Haters, including some in the GOP, should wish for a tenth of W’s strenght of character.
Yes we miss him
The comments section connected to this column on the WSJ.com website are strongly pro-Bush. Very heartwarming to read!!!
President George W. Bush poses with cyber dissidents prior to the start of the Bush Institute's Conference, "Cyber Dissidents: Global Successes and Challenges," being held in Dallas today at Southern Methodist University. Pictured from left to right are Ernesto Hernandez Busto (Cuba); Oscar Morales Guevara (Colombia), Visiting Fellow, George W. Bush Institute; President George W. Bush; Mohsen Sazegara (Iran), Visiting Fellow, George W. Bush Institute, and Ahed Al Hendi (Syria). Photo Courtesy of the George W. Bush Institute.
Lots of info on the conference here:
The Conference on Cyber Dissidents: Global Successes and Challenges
I just wish W had talked more with real people when he was in office. I don’t think he was ever aware of how some of his actions and statements were playing out in Mayberry. It might have prevented a lot of damage to the GOP image, and the Nation.
Here’s my take on GWB:
- He truly loved and loves the United States;
- He was and is a decent human being;
- He was and is humble;
- He never took himself too seriously;
- He was too sensitive for his own good;
- He was smart enough to pick Dick Cheney as VP;
- He gave us two stellar Supreme Court justices (which,
to me, is his greatest legacy);
- He screwed up with CFR;
- His position on immigration was disgraceful.
I do miss him, though.
Huh? He talked to real people nearly every day.
Just because the enemedia didn't plaster his every word all over every network and cable station, as they do today, does not mean it did not happen.
Miss!
If he did he didn’t hear what they said.
I'd love to know what you are thinking by this. I am not clear on your point. (And I am not trying to be snarky, just trying to understand.)
One thing I know about President Bush is that whenever he talked with real people they loved him.
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