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Bush snubbing war opponents
Fort Worth Star Telegram/Knight Ridder ^ | May. 07, 2003 | Ron Hutcheson

Posted on 05/07/2003 2:22:25 PM PDT by sandlady

It's payback time at the White House. Countries around the world are reaping the benefits or paying the price for their stand on the war with Iraq.

The door to the Oval Office is wide open for foreign leaders who backed President Bush. But war critics will be lucky to find a spot with Barney, the presidential dog. Foreign leaders who crossed Bush can forget about presidential visits or quick action on free-trade agreements.

The retribution fits Bush's long-standing pattern of rewarding friends and punishing enemies. Critics say it is adding to the substantial anti-American sentiment abroad.

"It's petty, and it puts personal animus ahead of the national interest. You lose the high ground when you make it personal," said Lee Feinstein, a former State Department official under President Clinton who is now at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"I have no problem with making the French, in particular, sweat. But what is wrong here is to make U.S. snubs the issue."

In the latest example of tit-for-tat foreign policy, Bush signed a free-trade deal with war ally Singapore on Tuesday, while a similar agreement with war opponent Chile has stalled.

This week's White House guest list is a roll call of war allies. Today, Bush will welcome Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar to the Oval Office. On Thursday, he meets with the foreign ministers from Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, all allies. He will also make time for Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar, who welcomed the U.S. military command during the war, and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who also endorsed the war.

But war opponents shouldn't expect invitations anytime soon.

Bush scrubbed a planned visit with Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien on Monday, citing a busy schedule; Chretien opposed the war. Instead, Bush spent the weekend at his Texas ranch with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a war supporter, and devoted Monday to touting his tax cuts in Little Rock, Ark.

"Personally, I'm glad he has canceled his visit. All he has done since he has taken office is snub our government and our country," one angry Canadian wrote in a letter to the Edmonton Journal. "I was glad that Chretien had the courage to stay out of the war. ... I was taught as a child to stand up to the bully next door, not to cave in to demands for lunch money."

South of the border, Mexican President Vicente Fox is also on the outs. Bush's annual Cinco de Mayo message on Monday -- the holiday celebrates a Mexican victory over French invaders in 1862 -- failed to mention U.S. ties to Mexico. Instead, it praised "the many Mexican-Americans serving in our armed forces who are working to bring freedom and justice to oppressed people."

In contrast, last year's statement hailed the "strong, vibrant relationship" between the two countries. Two years ago, Bush marked the Mexican holiday by praising Fox as "a fine man, a man of powerful ideas and a great vision for his country."

The strained ties have derailed plans to liberalize U.S. immigration laws, a Fox priority that was already in doubt because of security concerns raised by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

No one ranks lower on the outsider list than French President Jacques Chirac, whose government led opposition to the war at the United Nations and at NATO.

"I doubt he'll be coming to the ranch anytime soon," Bush told NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw in a recent interview. "There are some strains in the relationship, obviously, because it appeared to some in our administration and our country that the French position was anti-American."

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was already in the doghouse for tapping into anti-American sentiment in Germany during his re-election campaign. He compounded that offense by siding with Chirac against the war.

Reward and retaliation are a staple of Bush's public life. When his father was president, he served as an informal loyalty enforcer at the White House. He played a key role in forcing White House chief of staff John Sununu's resignation after Sununu made comments that the Bush family considered disloyal.

In Texas, Republicans who criticized Bush as governor could count on a phone call from Karl Rove, Bush's chief political adviser, warning them to stay in line.

"In Texas, politics is not just a contact sport. It's a blood sport," said Robert Dunn, a professor of economics and international affairs at George Washington University. "This is a group in the White House that has long memories. They reward their friends and punish their enemies."

But there are signs that the situation may change. Bush says he will attend next month's Group of Eight summit in Evian, France, with Chirac, Schroeder and leaders from five other industrial democracies.

One prominent war critic, Russian President Vladimir Putin, seems to have escaped White House retaliation. The decision to go easy on Putin reflects Bush's desire to have Russia's cooperation in the war on terrorism, the standoff with North Korea, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.

Bush will meet with Putin this month in St. Petersburg, Russia.

"Kicking around France is costless. It's a freebie. I don't think kicking around Russia is a freebie," Dunn said. "We've got bigger fish to fry there."

In

Great Britain

Prime Minister Tony Blair tops White House "A" list.

Australia

Bush threw a steak on the "barbie" at his Texas ranch for Prime Minister John Howard last weekend.

Out

France

"I doubt he'll be coming to the ranch anytime soon," Bush said of French President Jacques Chirac.

Germany

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is in the doghouse for playing on anti-American sentiments in his re-election campaign.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: allies; axisofweasels; contracts; iraqifreedom; nonallies; postwariraq; punishment; reward; willingcoalition
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To: Wolfstar
You gotta love Barney's eyebrows.
41 posted on 05/07/2003 3:16:39 PM PDT by wimpycat ('Nemo me impune lacessit')
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To: Wolfstar
Love those pics! Barney doing any 'guarding' seems laughable though! And if you think he's got the Boss wrapped around his paw....I think it's only the half of wired that Barney has the First Boss Lady!
42 posted on 05/07/2003 3:22:58 PM PDT by anniegetyourgun
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To: anniegetyourgun
Of course it seems laughable that Barney might do any "guarding" unless you know the Scottie temperament. Like most terriers, they are tough little dogs. I rescued one off a busy street once. A male who growled at me when I picked him up. Fortunately, he had a collar and tag, and I was able to return him to his home.

Anyway, Barney did insert himself between the media and the two leaders, and you gotta admit the image is funny. LOL!

43 posted on 05/07/2003 3:28:01 PM PDT by Wolfstar (If we don't re-elect this truly great President, we're NUTS!)
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To: sandlady
Critics say it is adding to the substantial anti-American sentiment abroad.

Uh, huh. They loved us dearly before this, that's why they called us imperialists, unilateralists, cowboys, idiots and "Damn Americans" in Europe and Canada, while they screamed "Death to America" and ululated with joy in the Arab street on 9/11.

If they loved us any more, we would all be dead.

44 posted on 05/07/2003 3:29:52 PM PDT by browardchad
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To: Wolfstar
Yes, they do fancy themselves tough-guys, those Scots. And I love those 'brows.....
45 posted on 05/07/2003 3:30:34 PM PDT by anniegetyourgun
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To: sandlady
sounds even handed
46 posted on 05/07/2003 3:31:54 PM PDT by The Wizard (Saddamocrats are enemies of America, treasonous everytime they speak)
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To: sandlady
"But war critics will be lucky to find a spot with Barney, the presidential dog. Foreign leaders who crossed Bush can forget about presidential Scooby treats or quick action on grilling their Alpo."
47 posted on 05/07/2003 3:32:30 PM PDT by Darheel (Visit the strange and wonderful.)
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To: Wolfstar
I love it!
48 posted on 05/07/2003 3:37:28 PM PDT by sandlady
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To: Wolfstar

See that? That's a Helen Thomas breed. Stay away from her. She'll hump your leg if she gets half a chance.

49 posted on 05/07/2003 3:46:01 PM PDT by husky ed (FOX NEWS ALERT "Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead" THIS HAS BEEN A FOX NEWS ALERT)
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To: sandlady
Would you rather he award his enemies and punish his friends? I'm not really to keen on being stabbed in the back. Fool me once shame on you -- Fool me twice shame on me! President Bush is nobody's FOOL!
50 posted on 05/07/2003 3:46:19 PM PDT by Patriotic Bostonian
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To: sandlady
Frankly I would prefer a hail of JDAMs falling on Paris and Ottawa, but I supose I'll settle for "snubbing."
51 posted on 05/07/2003 3:54:57 PM PDT by Stultis
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To: sandlady
Im waiting to see the Saudis & CAIR to get their just "pay back"
52 posted on 05/07/2003 3:57:48 PM PDT by joesnuffy (Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
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To: CT
A friend of mine knows Newt and worked on several books with him. Newt wrote an acknowledgement to him in one of the books. Soon after that my friend taxes were audited and his business was subject to a OSHA audit.
53 posted on 05/07/2003 4:09:03 PM PDT by LauraJean (Fukai please pass the squid sauce)
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To: sandlady
Translation: "Waaaahhh! Those mean Americans are snubbing us because we snubbed them, that's not *fair*!
54 posted on 05/07/2003 4:09:45 PM PDT by Ichneumon
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To: sandlady
Instead, it praised "the many Mexican-Americans serving in our armed forces who are
working to bring freedom and justice to oppressed people."


Funny how history repeats itself.
At The Alamo a fair number of Mexicans took their stand INSIDE The Alamo as they'd
had enough of the Bravo Sierra from the nitwit politicians in Mexico City.

Once again, a fair number of Mexicans compare the US and Mexico...and decide to go
with the winner.

(As much as I dislike illegal immigration...for the Hispanics/Latinos we get in our
military, I cut them some slack. They put themselves on the line and have
decided to come on in to support the team of their REAL home.)
55 posted on 05/07/2003 4:12:29 PM PDT by VOA
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To: sandlady
They just don't get it. Wimps lose. Wimpy attitudes cause war.
56 posted on 05/07/2003 4:14:12 PM PDT by bert (Don't Panic !)
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To: sandlady
Singapore was one of the very first countries to cooperate in the war on terror. They vigorously busted an Al-Queda cell very, very shortly after 9-11.

They deserve the trade.

57 posted on 05/07/2003 4:25:18 PM PDT by what's up
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To: husky ed
That one had me laughing so hard I nearly choked on my Dr. Pepper!
58 posted on 05/07/2003 4:48:30 PM PDT by Wolfstar (If we don't re-elect this truly great President, we're NUTS!)
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To: husky ed
ROFLMAO!
59 posted on 05/07/2003 5:26:48 PM PDT by sandlady
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To: Patriotic Bostonian
I'm like you. Were they really expecting something different? I admire President Bush's resolve.

60 posted on 05/07/2003 5:35:35 PM PDT by sandlady
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