Regards, Ivan
Posted on 05/04/2003 2:36:47 AM PDT by MadIvan
Prime Minister John Howard was a good friend and "a man of steel" and ties between the US and Australia were at an all time high, US President George W Bush said.
After a 20-hour stay by Mr Howard and his wife Janette at the Bush ranch in central Texas, the president described the prime minister as a good friend, a source of advice and a good Texan.
Referring to Mr Howard's steadfast support for the US-led war in Iraq, Mr Bush said Mr Howard had exhibited behaviour that proved he was not only "a man of steel, but a man of heart as well".
He said Australia had shown over the years how strong and close an ally it was to the people of the US.
Mr Bush said ties between the two countries were at an all-time high.
But he said that relationship could still be stronger.
One area could be trade, with Mr Bush signalling the proposed free trade agreement between the two countries could be sorted out by year's end, six months ahead of schedule.
Over pecan pie and hamburgers, Mr Howard spent precious time with Mr Bush discussing the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear program, terrorist cells in Indonesia and the shape of post-war Iraq.
At one stage during a tour of the ranch, the two leaders stopped by a waterfall where they discussed world issues.
In a sign of the importance given to Mr Howard's visit, US National Security Adviser Condaleezza Rice was in attendance, while James Kelly, the lead American negotiator with North Korea, gave the prime minister a personal briefing on the issue.
Mr Bush used a press conference to explain how highly he thinks of Mr Howard, for his advice and ability to make a judgment on difficult issues, to understanding some of the world's hotspots.
Describing him as courageous and steady under fire, the president showed genuine admiration for the Australian leader.
"The prime minister has showed he's not only a man of steel, he's showed the world he's a man of heart as well," the president told reporters.
"He stood his ground when he needed to stand his ground because he understands the difference between right and wrong, and he knows the difference between slavery and freedom.
"I'm honoured to call him friend and I'm really glad he's here."
Regards, Ivan
This is a perfect, classic example of media bias.
Bush did not say "high tide," he said, ties between the US and Australia were at an all time high.
A "high tide" implies a peak and a cyclical change, so it is implied the relationship will inevitably begin to worsen soon.
Absolutely, they are heroes. "Just throw another terrorist on the barby, mate."
There is a group of men that are absolutely not afraid of any Hezbollah guerillas infiltrating Iraq--they're called the Australian SAS.
Out with the old alliances, which impose so much trouble and cost and have turned into shackles around our ankles. Out with the United Nations, now nothing but a playground for elitist snobs and unwashed tyrants. Let's buddy up with our fellows who have at least the beginnings of an understanding of freedom.
Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit the Palace Of Reason:
http://palaceofreason.com
For some of the origins of this relationship, see The Politics of War reviewed.
New Zealand's contribution was to have their smarmy PM Helen Clark insult America.
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