Bush refuses to press Israel for truce

[steve2470]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060714/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -
President Bush refused to press
Israel for a cease-fire in Mideast violence Friday, risking a wider breach with world leaders at a weekend summit already confronting crises with Iran and North Korea.

Flying here from Germany, Bush called the leaders of Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan to explore ways to end three days of furious fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Turning aside complaints that Israel is using excessive force, Bush rejected a cease-fire plea from Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora.

"The president is not going to make military decisions for Israel," White House press secretary Tony Snow said. He said it was unlikely that either side would agree to a cease-fire now.

The eruption of Mideast violence moved prominently onto the agenda of the summit beginning Saturday.

<snip>

[stepnw1f]

1. Because Bush WANTS WWIII

the sicko he is

[MADem]

3. If I were skipper of a US NAVY warship in the region, I'd be nervous as

hell....one way to drag a country into war is sink one of their vessels...and then blame the other guy....

[lumpy]

27. Point well taken.

'all is fair in love and war',you know. We have already been witness to this sort of game playing.

[Mz Pip]

6. Bush would be thrilled

if Israel knocked out Iran's nuclear capabilities. He's not getting much support for the idea here so if someone else does it, then he can spend more time on the ranch and less time trying to convince a skeptical America that this is the next front on the war on terra.

Unfortunately, if that happens, it won't go smoothly. It will be another mess just like Iraq - long term effects aren't George's strong point.

It's already a mess and it's just getting started.

I really had hopes that with both Arafat and Sharon out of the picture there might be some hope over there.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[BenDavid]

30. I agree with an exception,

bush will let this continue until he can get his so called ducks in a row, which is the so called "liberal media" and then he will give some kind of national address. and it will seem as though he is doing something and the press will bend even further up his ass and they will convince the majority of americans that he is on top of the situation and he will get to use "I'm the peace president"....Oh and by the way Iraq will be an afterthought....Actually what bush is doing is describing the water and the rest of the world is drowning...and the best movie quote I could find that fits bush to a tee..from "the rock" connery character Mason says" personally I think you're a fucking idiot"

[madeline_con]

2. "The president is not going to make military decisions for Israel,"

They'd rather he just keep sending money, anyway.

[Miss Chybil]

15. His only "military decision" = Stay the course.

He's not capable of making any other "decisions."

[saigon68]

23. As to Blair


"I don't think that in order to maintain good relations between this country and the US it is
necessary for the prime minister of the UK to be a poodle of the President of the United States of
America"

Michael Howard

[oasis]

18. When we pay the cost, we should be the boss.(eom)

[MADem]

21. So sez BB King. Ah sure wish that the Monkey wuz

drinkin' when he want to, playin' a little poker too...then maybe he'd be less inclined to start wars all over hell.

[oasis]

22. The U.S. says Syria and Iran are the culprits. Israel levels Lebanon.

Someone please help me out here.:shrug:

[MADem]

24. Hizb'Allah is a political invention of the Ayatullah Khomeini

Funded by Syria and Iran.

It has a couple of components--a political wing, that has infiltrated the government, a charitable wing, that provides boatloads of social services, and a military wing, that of late shoots rockets at Israel.

They don't go for separation of church and state, to put it nicely.

There's yer connection....!

[oasis]

25. Got it. thanks.

[IndianaGreen]

4. Do you think that a President Clinton, Gore, or Kerry would go AWOL on ME?

Bush is shirking responsibility and has gone AWOL!

[VegasWolf]

5. Shirking responsibility. Story of his entire fucking life. nt

[htuttle]

12. Come on -- he can't help it

He's still trying to figure out what happened to the pig!

[progressivebydesign]

29. I promise to smack anyone that ever sez there's no difference..

between Al Gore and George Bush.

[Onus]

7. What can we do?

What control do we have over the situation? How can we stop the agression on either side? (Not rhetorical - I'm really asking.)

[joemurphy]

10. We have all kinds of influence and could do all kinds of things.

1. We tell Israel to stop the bombing and shelling immediately and return its armed forces to inside its borders. If they don't, we cut off all monetary aid to Israel.

2. As for Hezbollah, we tell them to immediately cease all attacks on Israel. If they don't, we immediately start arming the Lebanese army -- especially Christian elements -- and we insist on UN sanctions on Syria and Iran if any military aid is found to be forthcoming to Hezbollah from those areas.

3. We could establish and/or internationally police a buffer zone along the Lebanese Israeli border and populate it with UN police

4. We could broker a prisoner exchange too.

5. We have a State Department and we have diplomats. We could use them to negotiate a cease fire.

These are a few things that come to mind. We aren't doing any of them. We don't want to.

[Onus]

11. I like it already

You've got some pretty good ideas (seriously). Personally I was drawing a mental blank.

From your list I think #5 and #3 - in that order - are the best bets.

With the news out today alleging that Syria and Iran each have irons in the fire it might not be a bad idea to also establish a buffer zone along the Lebanese/Syrian border.

[BeHereNow]

14. Now hecky-durn JoeMurphy, why do you have to be all realsitic and stuff?

Them thar congress critters are gonna make a shit load
of money off this fiasco, you know that!
You wouldn't want them to listen to "we the people"
on this situation and lose all their offshore wealth, now would ya?

I be thinkin' you might be a traitor JoeMurphy!
How dare you suggest them congress piggies
miss any of the war trough profits!

BHN

[bling bling]

19. Your Option #5 is outrageous.

Diplomacy?! Is that some kind of antiquated old-school type of foreign policy or something? It kind of rings a bell, but it's been years since I've heard that word in this country.

You're in Bush's America. We like to treat all foreign issues cowboy-style. Yeeeehawwwwww!!

Why mess with trying to employ diplomacy when you can just use bombs as a first resort?

Bomb 'em if ya got 'em!!

[BeHereNow]

13. Here is what we DU at DU....Welcome to you, join us as we-

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Welcome aboard.
There is nothing we can do though-
Our representatives are owned by the corporates
and so far, our voices have fallen on deaf and greedy ears.
Hang in there and visit DU often to hang on to your sanity.
You are not alone.
BHN

[Ian David]

8. Peace would throw The Rapture off-schedule! n/t

[HuffleClaw]

9. absolutely sickening

the chimp lectures the ARAB countries while giving a blank cheque to israel to continue the slaughter.

[MGD]

16. How much money/support does Iran/ Syria provide to Hezbulah guerillas?

Hezbuluah guerillas who then use that money/support to perpetrate acts of war against Israel.

[ShockediSay]

17. can't get in the way of AIPAC funding

It's the lobbyists, stupid!

[gulliver]

20. Like they would listen to him.

Bush has no cards to play in the Middle East any more. Israel hasn't been listening to Bush since Sharon's first days in office. In terms of world influence, Bush has bankrupted America. You watch, some newspaper is going to headline an article "War Seen as Obstacle in Roadmap to Peace". No one will say the obvious yet. The results are in on Bushism.

[Jawja]

26. Talk about a

complete and utter failure of leadership.... :eyes:

* is destroying America as an economic power, a military power, and as a leader in international diplomacy.

But, that's ok, because the queers can't marry.

[oldcoot]

31. It is too bad that stupidity is not grounds for impeachment

It is the best interests of the United States to resolve this crises as quickly as possible even if that includes pressuring Israel. The last thing the United States needs is for this crises to evolve into a full-scale war involving Israel and her neighbors. Can you imagine what the price of oil is going to be if that happens? As for Bush's Middle Eastern policy, remember Bush and his supporters claimed that they were interested in spreading democracy in the Middle East? If Lebanon's government falls, who is to say that the next government will be a democracy? A full-scale war would also make the situation in Iraq even worse than it is now.

[progressivebydesign]

28. He's busy mountain biking, apparently.. went today and yesterday.

That man really knows how to diffuse a crisis, eh?

[oldcoot]

32. Thank God that the adults are in charge!

At least he is in good physical shape.