WP: Bush* Blames Arafat for Stalled Roadmap

[kskiska]

In Talks With Jordan's Abdullah, President Emphasizes Need to End Terrorism

Three months after relaunching his Middle East peace efforts with back-to-back summits near the Red Sea, President Bush acknowledged yesterday that the process is "stalled," and he blamed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for undercutting his efforts.

(snip)

While Abbas criticized Arafat when he resigned two weeks ago, he also faulted the Bush administration in his resignation statement, saying the United States "did not exert sufficient influence on Israel" to fulfill its commitments outlined in the U.S.-backed peace plan known as the "road map."

Bush and his aides appear uncertain how to revive the peace process while keeping their pledge to never again deal with Arafat. Since the Israelis threatened last week to exile Arafat, the longtime Palestinian leader's popularity among his own people has soared.

(snip)

"The finger-pointing, it is pretty obvious to all of us, is the name of the game, and we have to get beyond that," Abdullah said in the interview.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28980-2003Sep18.html

[stevedeshazer]

1. Headline should read:

Bully Doesn't Get His Way, Kicks Helpless Kid

Arafat is the only politician in lower standing than Bush*.

[KeepItReal]

2. Bush can blame himself for his own handiwork...check this out

Bush & Co's Richard Perle (of PNAC fame) sabotaged President Clintons sincere efforts at a peace plan in 2000. Perle is a f*ckin traitor as far as I'm concerned.

"The Middle East peace talks at Camp David became the subject of a political scandal in the US last night when reports emerged that one of George W Bush's foreign policy advisers had warned the Israeli delegation to be prepared to walk out of negotiations.

Richard Perle, a veteran cold war warrior and former assistant secretary of state, urged the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Barak, not to agree to any settlement which left the future status of Jerusalem unresolved, according to the New York Post website."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,342854,00.html

[jamesinca]

3. Todays lie exposed

<SNIP>

"His efforts were undermined, and that's why we're now stalled," Bush said. "Mr. Arafat has failed as a leader. . . . Prime Minister Abbas was undermined at all turns by the old order -- that meant Mr. Arafat."
While Abbas criticized Arafat when he resigned two weeks ago, he also faulted the Bush administration in his resignation statement, saying the United States "did not exert sufficient influence on Israel" to fulfill its commitments outlined in the U.S.-backed peace plan known as the "road map."
Bush and his aides appear uncertain how to revive the peace process while keeping their pledge to never again deal with Arafat. Since the Israelis threatened last week to exile Arafat, the longtime Palestinian leader's popularity among his own people has soared.

<SNIP>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<SNIP>
Prime Minister Abbas was undermined at all turns by the old order -- that meant Mr. Arafat."

While Abbas criticized Arafat when he resigned two weeks ago, he also faulted the Bush administration in his resignation statement, saying the United States "did not exert sufficient influence on Israel"

<SNIP>

Lets see Bush is blaming Arafat and the former PM is blaming Bush. Let us look at this in a historical light. Nobody else since circa 1970 has been able to do this. Jimmy Carter won a nobel prize and did not accomplish peace in the Middle East. Anwar Sadat was not able to do this. At some point in time all nations have proposed a solution to this problem and at some point all nations have turned their back on the problem. Because the peace process seems to have failed in the Middle East again that makes Bush average. That is the best he has ever been so he needs to quit while he is ahead. Yet he continues to blame Arafat, this is only part of the problem so this is the Bush lie, he is giving full credit to Arafat. It is a lie by omission.

[legin]

4. Not even the CFR are blaming Arafat

Siegman: The Middle East 'Road Map' Has Collapsed

Henry Siegman, the Council on Foreign Relations' foremost expert on Palestinian-Israeli relations, says that the Middle East road map for peace now seems dead, and he blames Israel and the United States for its demise. He says that Mahmoud Abbas, who resigned as Palestinian prime minister on September 6, "counted on the United States to put pressure on Israel to change the situation on the ground"--but it failed to materialize.

(more...)

http://www.cfr.org/publication.php?id=6235
(a suprisingly sane read given the source)

[Julien Sorel]

6. That was an outstanding interview.

I wonder how many people will actually get to see it, though.

[0007]

7. Excellent!!

Would Fox News ever bring this information to their viewers?

junior & Israel is holding back the peace proccess at the expense of human lifes. War is good for business, 'eh?

[SodoffBush]

5. That was SO funny when Chimpy called Arafat a "failed leader"

I yelled into the TV, "Quick, somebody find a mirror!" right after uttering a very loud gaffaw.

[trof]

8. "The buck stops...

um...way over there somewhere...I think...maybe."
-GWB*

[gratuitous]

9. How would Bush know?

Oh that's right; he spent a couple of days over there for a photo op several months ago. That makes him an expert in Middle East relations. At least in his own coke-addled mind.

How about this, Chimpy? Instead of taking August off every fucking year, you do some of the actual work that the U.S. taxpayer is paying you to do? If you need an example, check out your immediate predecessor. He met with leaders all the time, was informed and engaged on the issues, and when he talked about the Middle East, it was from a personal knowledge of the situation and the persons involved. You just say whatever the last person who got to you said.