Bush basks in Israel's love

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Facing dismally low approval ratings at home, US President George W. Bush basked for three days in near-adulation as he joined Israel's 60th anniversary festivities.

Bush, who was to head on to Saudi Arabia on Friday, returned the favour, hailing the close US ally as a mighty democracy where liberty and justice thrive.

Just about every moment appeared to be devoted to mutual expressions of admiration and friendship, which also offered Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert a respite from the latest police graft investigation against him.

His speech to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, drew him standing ovations and earned him ecstatic praise from right-wing parties.

"It was a Zionist speech in the full sense of the word," said former foreign minister Silvan Shalom, of the Likud party. "His speech was the speech of a member of the National Religious Party," NRP chairman Zvulun Orlev said, according to the Maariv daily."

more

[azurnoir]

1. Maybe Bush should run for office

in Israel, I hear elections there are coming up:sarcasm:

[wtmusic]

2. He could probably hide out there

to avoid war crimes charges...make it his own little Argentina.

[Scurrilous]

4. Rumor has it..

...that Bush may move to Plucky Paraguay.

Good riddance either way. :thumbsup:

[azurnoir]

6. I had read that

something to do with water resources

[notadmblnd]

3. maybe they could just keep him?

[BrklynLib at work]

5. No doubt the "media" is not showing the many protests..as they overlooked them during W's first

inaugural. No reason to show the world what is REALLY going on...not something seen in the MSM.

[stray cat]

7. Why ?- he strengthened their most dangerous adversary - Iran

or do they think the more dangerous one was Saddam?

[LeftishBrit]

10. Very good point!

[Scurrilous]

12. Obama: Bush policies strengthened Iran, Hamas

Harsh attack: Presidential hopeful Obama claims rival McCain wants to 'double down' on Bush's failed policies, says current administration must explain 'why Hamas now controls Gaza' after US insisted on Palestinian elections

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3544244,00.html

<snip>

"Democratic presidential front-runner Barack Obama said on Friday President George W. Bush's "failed policies" had strengthened US enemies like Iran and Hamas.

Responding to Bush's comment on Thursday that those who want to talk to Iran were like Nazi appeasers before the Second World War, Obama accused Bush of "exactly the kind of appalling attack that's divided the country and that alienates us from the world."

Obama also challenged Bush and Republican presidential rival John McCain to a debate on foreign policy issues, a day after Bush caused outrage among Democrats with his remarks on appeasement before the Israeli parliament.

McCain, who has clinched his party's presidential nomination, did not repeat the word "appeasement" On Thursday. But he did criticize Obama's pledge to speak directly to US foes, particularly Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He said Obama needs to explain why he would talk to him.

"If George Bush and John McCain want to have a debate about protecting the United States of America, that is a debate that I'm happy to have any time, any place, and that is a debate that I will win because George Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for," Obama said in a campaign speech in South Dakota.

"They've got to answer for the fact that Iran is the greatest strategic beneficiary of our invasion of Iraq. It made Iran stronger, George Bush's policies," He said."

[ProgressiveMuslim]

8. What a pathetic reflection on the State of Israel. nt

[LeftishBrit]

9. Why doesn't he stay there for a month?

The Israelis will soon be begging him to leave.

I suspect that a lot of this 'adulation' is what the top politicians and diplomats regard as correct behaviour towards the head of an allied state - especially as they badly need allies.

And it seems that not all the Israelis are equally enthusiastic about Bush:

'But Bush's unstinting support of Israel has also earned him some criticism for failing to press the government to work harder towards a peace deal with the Palestinians.

"As an Israeli, I feel almost uncomfortable... What we've done over the past two days is an act of weakness, not of strength," said Daniel Ben Simon, a columnist for the liberal Haaretz daily.

"We are begging Bush... politically there was unlimited love, but I want love with essence," he said.'

[ladjf]

11. "George, Speak". "Good dogie, George".

[eyl]

13. Uh....what adulation?

I mean, sure, I expect the government officials and MKs fawned over him - which would happen regardless of just who the President was. As far as the public was concerned, his visit was fairly low-key - the only demonstration I saw* (for or against) was a demonstration remembering the three missing IDF soldiers, and given its location I'm not sure it was even targeted at Bush.

*I live in Jerusalem

[pelsar]

14. didnt even know he was here...

barely in the news.....probably about as low key as it can get.

[eyl]

15. Actually, I probably wouldn't have noticed either

except that some Jerusalem streets tend to be closed when VIPs come over.

[msmcghee]

16. As someone who lives in Jerusalem could you . .

. . possibly describe what that is like at the human level? I read many news articles about the conflict but I can never get a feeling for what it is like to be there. I assume that there are many Arabs - both Israel citizens and non-citizens in Jerusalem. Is there suspicion and tension and a tendency to have separate coffee shops, markets, etc. for each group? Are there acts of anger commonly expressed in public? Are these expressed in one direction more than the other? Or, is it like living in any other multicultural city in the world?

(For both you and pelsar, I really appreciate any attempt to fill in this "human side of existence" narrative in any of your posts.)

[notfullofit]

17. I wish

we had more of this.