Bush: "I'm Sure People View Me As A War Monger"

In Riyadh today, the president danced a traditional sword dance with one of the princes of the royal family. It was a public -- and a little awkward -- display of affection, all part of Bush's first visit to Saudi Arabia aimed at repairing strained relations between the world's biggest oil producer and the world' s biggest oil consumer.

The president sat down with "Nightline" co-anchor Terry Moran at one of the vast royal palaces, and it became clear who holds the cards right now in the oil markets, with the price up near $100 a barrel...

..."I have talked to these leaders face to face," he said. "I have asked them point blank, 'Do you understand how difficult these issues are?' Yes. 'Are you prepared to make the painful political compromises?' They say they are."

Despite that optimism, the president also said that he does feel misunderstood in the Middle East.

"My image [is] 'Bush wants to fight Muslims.' And, yes, I'm concerned about it. Not because of me, personally. I'm concerned because I want most people to understand the great generosity and compassion of Americans," he said.

"I'm sure people view me as a war monger and I view myself as peacemaker," the president said. "They view me as so pro-Israeli I can't be open-minded about Palestinian peace, and yet I'm the only president ever to have articulated a two-state solution. And you just have to fight through stereotypes by actions."

Read entire article.

See a slideshow of Bush in Saudi Arabia.

Comments

[deminmo]

Yes I do view you as a war monger. Especially
in light of what research I've done over the last few months, how you have pushed Isreal into
doing your dirty work, so that you could avoid
getting a Declaration of War from Congress.
You have been a President with no idea how to
be one. As a Diplomat your idea of negotiations
seem to be arms deals, so that everyone who
has some real or imagined beef, has enough arms
to blow them off the map ten times.
As long ago as 2002, you have been after the
latest and deadliest weapons, with the intent
on taking out unfavorable goverments, and putting in ones with like ideas. As a result we
have a quagmire in Iraq, and soon one in
Afghanistan.
Now, after your trip of Middle East "peace"
mission, Israel launches a missle capable of
going 2800 miles into "enemy" territory. And
they state that they will do anything it takes
to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons. But
you also made a deal with India for nuclear
products didn't you?
So, before you leave office, just how many
new goverments are we going to replace? How
many wars will start? Or will it just be WW III?

[Not Blind]

Bush just recently spoke of a two-state solution (Palestinian - Israeli) on this trip to the Middle East. Up until now, the military and economic aid given to Israel, used predominently against Palestinians, except for the Israeli invasion of Lebanon last summer, and to continue building settlements in Palestinian territories has soared, with no conditions, and been one-sided in favor of Israel, which continuously violates international laws, human, legal and civil rights of non-Jewish Israelis. Let's not forget that great wall, which has effectively imprisoned Palestinians in tight small quarters, often without food, utilities, closed schools and inadequately equipped hospitals.
As for war, well he & the PNAC and AIPAC were itching for a war in Iraq and Iran from the moment he stole the election in 2000, and took office in 2001. All they needed was a "Pearl Harbor" type event, which they got on 9/11. This explains why the White House ignored all the field memos from the FBI about the hijackers training to fly jets, warnings from every Middle East intelligence bureau that an attack was eminent. In sum, they WANTED this attack to happen. It makes me wonder, what, if any role the Israeli's had in 9/11. They wanted this war as much, if not more than the administration did. Perhaps it was really a false-flag operation. There are still so many unanswered questions about the demise of the towers. Many respected engineers insist the towers fell due to an implosion, as if a deliberate demolition-type job.
U.S. citizens are being labelled "enemy-combatants," and we've been under illegal surveillance since this administration came to the White House, BEFORE 9/11, not in its aftermath. AT&T and Verizon records indicate the order to wiretap phone lines was given in February, 2001, just weeks after Dubya entered the Oval Office.
I've never been more cynical about our government (and now Israel) since the Vietnam War, which Johnson approved after the Gulf of Tonkin (another false-flag op.).

[KarenZipdrive]

I cringe whenever I hear the man speak.
He's like that old, besotted uncle you don't want your friends to meet because he's such an inappropriate asshole.

[Mellenbal]

As if it needs to be said: DUUUUUUHHHHH...

[StillAmused]

We all make a lot of noise here... make some HERE and put your mouse where your mouth is:

http://www.wexlerwantshearings.com/

Robert Wexler (D-FL), Member of the Judiciary Committee, is calling for impeachment of Cheney. Petition approaching 200,000 signatures, to be delivered to the Committee.

[VivaZapata]

He just doesn't get it. Insulated from birth, how could he?

[TomR]

"I'm a war president. No, I'm a peacemaker."

Thus concludes another encore presentation of Episode 2298 of The Bush Years: "I Hear the Voices"

- Tom

[Irons]

No, I view you as a dope.

[comingawakening]

For those who say that impeachment is not in country's best interest I have four opposing arguments:
I. To say that you don't want to use impeachment because it will come across as a political maneuver is actually paradox. In other words, by not holding impeachment hearings due to the upcoming elections, the democrats are actually utilizing a political reason (the elections) as a reason NOT to hold hearings. By holding the impeachment hearings, democrats will tell the world that they are willing to risk the political gains of the election to protect and uphold the Constitution.
II. Even if Bush leaves office without another "False Flag" event occurring, it will take several decades for us to gain the trust of the international community. This is especially true if our actions from the past seven years lead to a long, drawn out global economic depression. Many in the international community will blame the us for destabilizing the oil and credit markets in an effort to go to fund the war. If we don't clean up our house and let this type of behavior go without any penalty, we will deal an even larger blow to our credibility abroad. Have you read what they are saying about us internationally? They are saying we Americans are stupid. They say we live in a dictatorship.
III. What happens in 8-16 years when Jeb or some other Bush runs for office? I know it will be tough for them but we have short-timers memory. If we don't investigate these matters now while we can, we will lose the ability to trust any elected official. We need to know what happened.
IV. Use the impeachment proceedings to get the President to abide by our wishes. If he doesn't? Who cares. Officials are supposed to protect the Constitution.

Please call:
Pelosi 202-225-0100 Conyers 202-225-5126
[e-mail]

[doinaheckofajob]

George
I view you as a sick piece of shit.

[votingplumber]

"Mission Accomplished"

[votingplumber]

Did ya want people to thinkof you as a "mission accomplished" kind of guy?

[LITU]

Condi would have had plenty of time to teach George a new word as he is inclined to premature ejacumacation.

[petegrif]

no shit.

Another brilliant insight from the retard in the office.

[LITU]

Someone wrote earlier about the new Bush coin.

I can recognize a Bush coin from a block away. It's the one that says "In God We Thrust."