Bush's mideast trip leaves 'political observers mystified as to the purpose of the visit'

[babylonsister]

Bush departs Mideast with few apparent gains, experts say
By Hannah Allam | McClatchy Newspapers

* Posted on Wednesday, January 16, 2008


DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — President Bush wraps up a weeklong tour of the Middle East Wednesday, leaving many Mideast political observers mystified as to the purpose of the visit and doubtful that the president made inroads on his twin campaigns for Arab-Israeli peace and isolation for Iran.

Bush is heading back to Washington mostly empty-handed, said several analysts and politicians throughout the region. Arab critics deemed Bush's peace efforts unrealistic, his anti-Iran tirades dangerous, his praise of authoritarian governments disappointing and his defense of civil liberties ironic.

"There is no credibility to his words after what the region saw during his presidency," said Mohamed Fayek, the Cairo, Egypt-based director of the nonprofit Arab Organization for Human Rights. He cited the war in Iraq, the prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the Abu Ghraib detainee abuse scandal. "American policy threw the region off-balance and destabilized it. The visit caused deep disappointment. I don't see any results."

The challenges were evident Tuesday. The Israeli military carried out an operation in Gaza that killed at least 18 Palestinians, including the 24-year-old son of Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar, in the most violent day since the militant group seized control last year. Separately, a Palestinian sniper killed a young farmer from Ecuador who was working on an Israeli kibbutz near the border with Gaza.

Palestinians warned that the military raid could sour their talks with Israelis and undermine the momentum from Bush's visit to lead both parties back to the negotiating table.

"Skepticism on all sides is enormous," said Nicholas Pelham, a Jerusalem-based senior analyst with the International Crisis Group.

more...

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/24819.html

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. shame on them.

expecting something different than what we here in the colonies have suffered from for 7 yrs. I mean, really. They had the gall to expect something, like, er, reality, consistency, honesty or integrity from that man?

hah. the fools.

[babylonsister]

3. The colonies...

:spray:

[ladjf]

2. No rocket science required here. He was trying to drum up a

war with Iran.

No further comments or discussions about Bush should be done other than those that are productive toward his punishment for the war crimes and treason for which he is most definitely guilty.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

20. no rocket science required in NASA, either.

when members of the flat earth religion are put in charge.

Besides, we don't need scientists doing research. All we need is to build weapons to sell to the House of Saud and Israel guaranteeing that the region remains unstable.

[ladjf]

26. Yes. Why should we bother with scientific processes when all

we really have to do is make it up. Literally, about 65% of Americans live by values that were
100% dreamed up by humans without the slightest attempt at objective logic. In other words, "don't bother me with the facts".

[leftofthedial]

4. he wanted to make out and hold hands with his Saudi crew

as far as I can tell

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. "he he he - lookin' for mah legacy...nope, not here....not there, either....

taxpayer funding of legacy hunting for the idiot. We should all send him a big fat bill.

[ladjf]

7. Levinworth. (nt)

[Beausoleil]

19. Someone should tell him

that it's been under the desk all this time.

[Virginia Dare]

We are losing our grip on the Middle East...

it's no secret that the whole purpose of the trip was to meet with the Saudi King, who is publicly disgusted with him. I would imagine Poppy had a hand in it as well. The rest of it was all show.

[DCKit]

17. Not that I believe we ever had a grip on the Middle East...

but that's irrelevant. What is the Saudi's involvement in this pResidency if they weren't involved and consulted every step of the way? Would Georgie have ignored the wishes of the money branch of the BFEE and gone off the reservation? Or is it all sour grapes at this point 'cause they didn't get what they wanted either?

I'm confusededed.

[ladjf]

6. It would be difficult to find any literate person on the planet

that isn't aware that Bush is a crook, war criminal and traitor.

[Habibi]

8. He went for the goody bags! Geez.

The furs, the jewelry, the dancing girls. C'mon!

[SeattleGirl]

11. You beat me to it!

Seems that all the pictures I've seen were of him accepting gifts.

[KoKo]

18. Yep....he got a big gold necklace he had to "bow down" to Abdullah to receive...

Picture was in USA today...and I tried to find it to post here because it was shocking to see him groveling for the gold like that. I guess it will be worth something ton him in the future with our dollar tanking.

[SeattleGirl]

23. I saw that picture too.

:puke:

[KoKo]

25. I wish we could find that Pix we could post on DU........n/t

[HeraldSquare212]

9. Auditioning for the million dollar speeches he wants to be hired for after he leaves office nt

[whatdoyouthink]

14. Yep

Going to work for OPEC - after this gig - they love Him - Got the King Suite - when over there - and they pick up the tab - nice of them wasn't it....

Oh also went to find a new place to live - After he leaves? if he does?

[AndyA]

10. George Bush: Failure should be his middle name.

Or Fuckup. Take your pick, both work.

[DCKit]

16. Wanker Bush. n/t

[Horse with no Name]

12. Frequent flier miles!

Duh!:crazy:

[gratuitous]

13. Purpose? What is this word you use?

Look the Navy fucked up the Strait of Hormuz incident that was supposed to lead to a war with Iran. Had it all set up, too. Fireworks go off, Bush in the vicinity, daring midnight flight out of Riyadh or Abu Dhabi to return to Washington, where, in a hastily-convened press conference, Bush dramatically announces that hostilities with Iran have begun, and the bombers are flying even now. Congress is stampeded into yet another war, the American people, believing deeply in the myth of redemptive violence, line up behind the commander in chief, doubt and dissent squelched again due to national security considerations, and away we go!

I wonder if any of our bulldogs in the news media will remember that Bush said at the beginning of his junket that he expected some kind of resolution of the Middle East situation before the end of the year? Well, if they do remember, I'm sure that none of them will have the bad taste to bring it up again and cause Bush discomfort.

[tabasco]

15. Visit some of his best dictator buddies.

Bush has made allies of dictatorships and enemies of democracies.

[annabanana]

21. The Repug party needed him far far away for the early primaries.... .n/t

[madokie]

22. pretty obvious what he wants to do.

he wants the world to let him get his war off on Iran and the whole world in on to his game, with only him and them, the pundits, not knowing that

[spanone]

24. l e g a c y

we're financing his 'historical' future which will be the fantasy of the century

[ladjf]

27. Bush's legacy might turn out that he is the only President of the

United States to be tried and convicted of treason, perjury and war crimes. (Well, I can wish can't I?)