Bush Middle East Speech Discussion Thread

[hchutch]

Sounds like Arafat wanted to be able to spin things without regard for the truth.

Methinks his days are numbered.

[carton253]

He did... but again that was not the first condition... it was a subsequent condition. One that Israel will agree to (providing they get the heights) because they have already said they would.

[Grampa Dave]

This is an excellent and very astute observation by you:

It isn't. It isn't intended to. It's to free America to move in the Middle East. It deconstructs the arguments and takes them away. These tired arguments and lies and spins. Everything is being swept off the stage. This is the Palestinians only chance (given by this administration) to get its house in order. After that, what comes your way, is your own fault.

[LisaFab]

IMHO, the best part of the speech was when he re-iterated the Bush Doctrine by saying: (paraphrasing) Any country whose state-sponsored media supports terror, or any country who gives money to terrorist groups (he named them) or buys weapons from Iran, Iraq or Syria IS WITH THE TERRORISTS!

Take that house of Saud! Fantastic!

[seeker41]

No, that/we/him is not the beast. Where do you get your biblical information from www.weirdtheology.com?

[Miss Marple]

If you will remember, we didn't exactly lay out our battle plan to the Taliban, either. It is much better for them to worry about the "or else" rather than spelling it out.

[AlGone2001]

Bush is crafty alright. Who is like Bush? Who can make war with him?

I notice your word play from the scripture, where the same thing is said about the "beast." Do you care to elaborate?

[carton253]

LOL! With regards to foreign policy, you have to be a great between the lines reader.

[Mo1]

Methinks his days are numbered.

Me thinks his HOURS are numbered

[Teacher317]

No, it was for America and Israel. Can't you folks read between the lines at all?

Yes, and Israel. My slip. However, Howlin's post said it was directed at the Palestinain leadership, telling them what they need to do to get a state, is if it were an unknown before today.

[mhking]

It definitely did not go out over Palestinian TV.

Anybody know if Al Jazeera carried it?

[E Rocc]

So Arafat is not allowed to run in the upcomming elections?

I doubt it would go quite that far and personally I think it would be a mistake. Arafat at least says the right things and often even does them. Though he's probably an impediment to true peace, so is Sharon. It may be premature to force him out because Hamas may sneak into the breach. The suicide bombings are coming primarily from Hamas (which has no interest whatsoever in peace), and the best way to keep them in check right now is Arafat.

The call for a freeze on squatter activity was actually more important than the call for the military pullback, as no real peace is possible as long as it continues. It also places some onus on Israel and forces Sharon et al to confront that particular lobby.

Indeed, the biggest roadblocks to a real solution will be Hamas and the squatter lobby.

-Eric

[kidd]

I didn't hear the speech, but based on what I've read here:

1) Bush's speech implies that as long as Arafat is calling the shots, then Israel has every right to defend itself by all means necessary.

2) By ending his speech with the bible quote, he is telling the Muslim world that "we know what your ultimate goal is and we will not let the Christian world be taken over."

I'm not always a Bush supporter, but this sounds like it was equally balsy as his post-9/11 speech.

[hchutch]

Sounds close, but I think the timetable for Russian exports must be faster thatn you have, otherwise this speech wouldn't have been the virtual ultimatum it was.

[ResistorSister]

Loved it!

[Bon mots]

[cardinal4]

He did use the "O" word, but still,Im encouraged.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

This quote is THE BEST that could have been given.

Our President has seen the homicide bombings - especially those of children. He understands completely Israel's right to live in peace without having to withstand such carnage continuously. I think these last homicide bombings sewed it up and maybe - those young people's lives lost - at the hands of the bloody terrorists - will not have been in vain. Perhaps it was their deaths that were the final straw. President Bush has said - this far, no more.

And this after leftists upon leftists have been saying (PR specialists for the terrorists) that the terror attacks on Israeli civilians are FULLY JUSTIFIED>

Guess what, pressterrorists, YOU LOSE!

But the President MUST get his spokespeople out to replay the speech as often as possible - and maybe get copies printed off in Pali - language and distributed all over the Pali areas of Israel and the ME!

[umgud]

I am not a big Bush fan, but I am satisfied with this speech. I suspect his bashers will bash him regardless.