Report: Bush To Visit Israel Next Month

[Scurrilous]

Source: CBS News

The Unconfirmed Trip Would Be President's First Visit To Israel Since He Took Office

<snip>

"President Bush will visit Israel next month, Israel's Channel 2 TV and Haaretz newspaper reported Tuesday. The reports said Mr. Bush would focus on promoting Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in the framework of last week's Mideast summit in the U.S., as well as discussions about Iran's nuclear program.

Other Israeli media outlets reported Mr. Bush's visit would take place Jan. 9. Israeli government officials refused to comment.

Officials at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv refused to confirm or deny the report. This would be Mr. Bush's first visit to Israel since he took office.

A Western official familiar with the organization of the trip told CBS News, nothing will be "officially confirmed until the White House confirms." He would say that his understanding was that such a visit would make sense within the President's current travel plans, and that it would likely include both Israeli and Palestinian meetings."


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/04/world/main3574506.shtml

[TwilightGardener]

1. The first visit, after 7 years, to a country that's had an inordinate influence

on our foreign policy? Gee, what's the hurry?

[tridim]

2. One more thing to fuck up.

Just quit Bush, you know you want to.

[saigon68]

3. He's going to "sneak in" to IRAQ-NAM with his plastic turkey

For Christmas.

[grasswire]

4. bingo (eom)

[rockybelt]

5. The head chimp

just wants to talk in person. You never know who may be listening in on a phone conversation, you know. That way they can get the invasion date for Iran all set up and nobody else will know about it.
Bastards!!!

[madrchsod]

6. hmmmm....carter and clinton

i guess bush figures if he can cut a deal like those two, he`ll be absolved of his crimes when he has to ask forgiveness from the man in the upper room....

[eppur_se_muova]

7. BBC says ** to visit "Middle East", Israel not confirmed

Bush announces Middle East visit

US President George W Bush will visit the Middle East in January, the White House has said.

The announcement comes a week after Mr Bush hosted talks at which Israeli and Palestinian leaders pledged to seek a peace deal before the end of 2008.

Iran will also be a key issue, after US intelligence said on Monday that the country is not actively developing nuclear weapons.
***

Israeli fears

The White House did not confirm Israeli reports that the president would visit Israel during his Middle East tour.

But the BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says such a visit is highly likely.
***
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7128170.stm

[goclark]

8. Will he be welcomed with flowers?

Can they keep him and then Make him take trips all over the globe and never return here even for a visit?

[MisterP]

9. * near Gaza: "Duh, where's the Pyramids?"

[Drunken Irishman]

10. Had he visited in December he would've asked why there weren't many Christmas trees and Baby Jesuses

[HuffleClaw]

11. to finalize the war plans of course

and right after that sham of a peace conference too. hilarious how obvious they are.

[Scurrilous]

12. U.S. Joint Chiefs head to visit Israel

<snip>

"The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff will visit Israel next week to discuss Iran.

Adm. Michael Mullen will make a 24-hour visit to Israel early next week as a guest of his Israeli counterpart, Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, Yediot Achronot reported Thursday.

Mullen will be briefed about Israel's intelligence estimates regarding the Iranian nuclear program, a response to a U.S. report that this week said Iran shelved its quest for an atomic bomb in 2003.

Israel is keen to preserve Western pressure on Tehran in the wake of the National Intelligence Estimate report. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni plans to discuss the matter with the foreign ministers of NATO countries when they convene Friday at the alliance's Brussels headquarters.

Mullen's visit to Israel will be the first by a Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman in nearly a decade."

http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/105734.html

[CBHagman]

13. Those poor people.

It's bad enough that he's gone about annoying the Germans, the British, and the Australians. Hopefully the Israelis will take a leaf out of the Britons' book and make his visit extremely special by demonstrating against him.