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Bush Keeps It Clear & Simple
New York Daily News ^ | 6-30-2002 | Zev Chafets

Posted on 06/30/2002 5:26:25 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty

Summit conferences of the G-8 are a lot more fun than they used to be. Not so long ago, they were nothing more than extended cocktail parties for the rich, predictable leaders of rich, predictable nations. But in recent years, anti-globalization protesters have given these conclaves a sense of drama and even danger.

Last week in Alberta, the Canadians kept the demonstrators miles away. There was excitement, however, courtesy of a revolutionary named President Bush.

At Alberta, Bush tossed a Molotov cocktail at conventional Middle East diplomacy by announcing that there would be no Palestinian state until the Palestinians dumped Yasser Arafat and accepted basic Western norms of political behavior.

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof reported that Bush's G-8 colleagues reacted to this by "wincing, gulping and disagreeing." According to Kristof, these leaders think Bush is "nuts" to insist that Arafat step down.

This assessment reflects the conventional wisdom of the international press corps. After Bush met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a reporter pointedly asked Bush if he was "astonished" by the reaction of his fellow leaders.

"The response has been positive, and for that I am grateful," Bush said blandly. And a strange thing happened. A smiling Putin neither winced nor gulped.

Putin was not alone in failing to register the requisite outrage. Earlier in the conference, British Prime Minister Tony Blair came very close to endorsing the President's new policy, a posture Kristof chalks up to good manners.

Italy's Silvio Berlusconi is not known for excessive politesse, but he, too, signed on with Bush. "If I were Arafat," said the Italian premier, "I would make a grand gesture." Berlusconi did not specify whether the Palestinian leader should use cyanide or a pistol.

Canada and Japan said nothing audible about the new American policy, and in any event, neither is a Middle Eastern player. Germany's Gerhard Schroeder mumbled some words of disagreement but for obvious reasons refrained from an emotional public defense of Arafat's terror war against the Jewish state.

Only French President Jacques Chirac conformed to expectations. He let it be known that in his view, the President of America was acting without nuance.

The G-8's final communiqué did not make this point. It called for a two-state solution "within secure borders" and pointed to "the urgency of reform of Palestinian institutions and its [sic] economy and of free and fair elections." The statement stopped short of demanding Arafat's head (although, given Arafat's life-long incorrigibility, it came close). But it did sound a lot like the President's recipe, hold the adjectives.

Bush's success is a great frustration to his worldly critics, and a great mystery. They do not understand how such a rube (the man never even spent a semester in Europe) keeps getting his way with foreigners.

In less than two years, Bush has savaged conventional wisdom by dropping the anti-ballistic missile treaty, green-lighting Star Wars, walking away from the Kyoto global warming pact, boycotting a United Nations conference on human rights and saying no to the new international criminal court in The Hague. He has taken the U.S. to war without the permission of a coalition, restored "good" and "evil" to the language of big-power diplomacy and introduced an American defense doctrine of unilateral preemption. And now he is insisting that the price of self-determination should be civilized behavior.

This is a foreign policy revolution unmatched even by President Ronald Reagan.

Bush knows that civilization requires America to run the world — and that if it isn't run according to clear and simple principles, it can't be run at all.

E-mail: zchafets@yahoo.com


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: opinion
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New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof reported that Bush's G-8 colleagues reacted to this by "wincing, gulping and disagreeing." According to Kristof, these leaders think Bush is "nuts" to insist that Arafat step down.

Yada, yada, yada... Will these "leaders" and hacks like Kristof ever see the light? Not likely since their heads are embedded in Arafathead's rear.

1 posted on 06/30/2002 5:26:25 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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To: BigWaveBetty
If anyone else recalls it, there is a terrific editorial cartoon that came out after 9-11. In it, Bush was drawn as a fierce Roman gladiator who was going off to battle while some prostrate toga-clad Euroweenie simpered in the backround. I'll see if I can find it to post. It sums up this article perfectly.
2 posted on 06/30/2002 5:33:25 AM PDT by mewzilla
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To: mewzilla
Oh that would be great if you could find it. Thanks!
3 posted on 06/30/2002 5:35:39 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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To: BigWaveBetty
Thanks for the post Betty. Bush bases his foreign policy on common sense and morality. Wow, the rest of the world and Foggy Bottom as well just can't seem to grasp that. I love it!
4 posted on 06/30/2002 5:36:11 AM PDT by Cautor
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To: BigWaveBetty
Well, I found it. It's entitled The Lone Warrior, and it's by the Seattle PI's Dave Horsey, and it's dated 02/07/02.

Click here to see the cartoon.

5 posted on 06/30/2002 5:48:43 AM PDT by mewzilla
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To: BigWaveBetty
Finally someone is paying attention! I noticed Putin's smile and in fact, Putin defended a press attack on Bush about WorldCom and the democrats using it as a campaign issue. It was amazing.

I think that the European leaders are on board...it is just that the press for the most part refuses to see it.

Witness the British press rumblings from Blair aides. Or the Australian article about Blair splitting with Bush over Arafat. Fabrications of the liberal mind, nothing more.

6 posted on 06/30/2002 5:50:54 AM PDT by Miss Marple
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To: Miss Marple
Maybe the European leaders have read Ann Coulter's new book...
7 posted on 06/30/2002 5:52:50 AM PDT by mewzilla
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To: BigWaveBetty; Miss Marple; Howlin; rintense; mtngrl@vrwc; Wphile; ohioWfan; Mo1; Brad's Gramma; ...
In less than two years, Bush has savaged conventional wisdom by dropping the anti-ballistic missile treaty, green-lighting Star Wars, walking away from the Kyoto global warming pact, boycotting a United Nations conference on human rights and saying no to the new international criminal court in The Hague. He has taken the U.S. to war without the permission of a coalition, restored "good" and "evil" to the language of big-power diplomacy and introduced an American defense doctrine of unilateral preemption. And now he is insisting that the price of self-determination should be civilized behavior.

This is a foreign policy revolution unmatched even by President Ronald Reagan.

Wow - what a summation. (Pinging some others to read this). Thanks for the post.

8 posted on 06/30/2002 5:54:48 AM PDT by Freedom'sWorthIt
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To: BigWaveBetty
Chirac "let it be known that in his view, the President of America was acting without nuance."

This is no time for "nuance". I prefer President Bush's CLEAR talk myself.

9 posted on 06/30/2002 6:02:41 AM PDT by Carolinamom
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To: mewzilla
You were right, it summed the article up nicely. Thank you very much!
10 posted on 06/30/2002 6:03:02 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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To: Cautor
Bush bases his foreign policy on common sense and morality.

After eight years of the 'toon it sure is refreshing. I think Miss Marple is right, the euro's are coming around but their elitist press won't recognize it or report it.

11 posted on 06/30/2002 6:07:09 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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To: BigWaveBetty
In less than two years, Bush has savaged conventional wisdom by dropping the anti-ballistic missile treaty, green-lighting Star Wars, walking away from the Kyoto global warming pact, boycotting a United Nations conference on human rights and saying no to the new international criminal court in The Hague. He has taken the U.S. to war without the permission of a coalition, restored "good" and "evil" to the language of big-power diplomacy and introduced an American defense doctrine of unilateral preemption. And now he is insisting that the price of self-determination should be civilized behavior.

Gee, imagine that. Someone who leads. And it would be a tad bit more accurate to say in just over one year......he's done all these things. Bush is able to do what he does because he is led by a Power and a Will higher than himself and toward goals which are unselfish. He has strength, character, and moral conviction. In a word, Bush is a leader. Something more than lacking in the (shameful, despicable, lying, selfish, cheating) previous occupant of the White House.

12 posted on 06/30/2002 6:08:27 AM PDT by nicmarlo
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To: BigWaveBetty
Thanks for this article! I emailed the writer and thanked him for what he wrote about President Bush. It was nice to see some honest words about our common-sense President!
13 posted on 06/30/2002 6:15:05 AM PDT by Wait4Truth
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To: BigWaveBetty; Carolinamom
Only French President Jacques Chirac conformed to expectations. He let it be known that in his view, the President of America was acting without nuance.

I am so sick of being "nuanced" to death where right is left, up is down, black is white, right is wrong.

Enough with "fair is foul and foul is fair" that the oh-so-sophisticated would shove down our throats. Their particular brand of sophistry has not produced. PERIOD.

I say "BASTA!"

14 posted on 06/30/2002 6:18:46 AM PDT by Carolina
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To: Miss Marple
I noticed Putin's smile and in fact, Putin defended a press attack on Bush about WorldCom and the democrats using it as a campaign issue. It was amazing.

I missed seeing any of the coverage. Putin really did that?! How queazy must the dems be now they're aware Putin is on GWB's campaign?! As you so often say... HA! :-)

I think that the European leaders are on board...it is just that the press for the most part refuses to see it.

I've heard that many euro's are swinging back to a very conservative view but many of the leaders seem to be doing the cowardly two step. Jack Chirac, and the Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien (I know Canada isn't europe ;-) but those two have been outspoken of late) and wasn't it European Union President Robert Mugabe who was just making a fuss recently?

But the world would never know the majority are becoming more and more conservative since most of the European press will make up what they want.

15 posted on 06/30/2002 6:23:03 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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To: Freedom'sWorthIt
Wow - what a summation. (Pinging some others to read this).

Yes, that put a big ole smile on my face! Thanks for the pings.

16 posted on 06/30/2002 6:25:30 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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To: rintense; Howlin; JohnHuang2; ohioWfan; illstillbe; Dog
I thought you might appreciate this article. I know that I certainly did! (In the New Yorok Daily News, no less...even if it is an op ed or a column, that is still pretty big stuff!)
17 posted on 06/30/2002 6:28:28 AM PDT by Miss Marple
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To: Carolinamom
This is no time for "nuance". I prefer President Bush's CLEAR talk myself.

It confuses me to no end that some people just HAVE to make life more difficult.

18 posted on 06/30/2002 6:29:23 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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To: Freedom'sWorthIt
But I thought Bush was the same as Clinton, or Gore...how can this be? /saracasm

;-}

19 posted on 06/30/2002 6:31:45 AM PDT by CIB-173RDABN
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To: Carolina
Enough with "fair is foul and foul is fair" that the oh-so-sophisticated would shove down our throats.

They're like little children, if they ignore it, it will go away.

We've said it hundreds of times, but it never gets old...

THANK GOD THE ADULTS ARE FINALLY IN CHARGE!!

20 posted on 06/30/2002 6:33:54 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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