Posted on 11/12/2003 7:24:24 AM PST by Pokey78
LONDON -- Prime Minister Tony Blair's government Wednesday defended President Bush's state visit to Britain next week and derided the "fashionable anti-Americanism" of many protesters.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said people were entitled to demonstrate, but questioned why protesters who planned to march against Bush had not marched against the tyrannical regime of Saddam Hussein.
"What bothers me is the fashionable anti-Americanism that's around," Straw told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.
"Many more people I guess will be demonstrating about the United States and the action which the United States has had to take since Sept. 11 than ever they demonstrated against the brutal, vicious, horrible regime of Saddam Hussein."
Bush and his wife, Laura, will be the guests of Queen Elizabeth II and will stay at Buckingham Palace during their Nov. 19-21 visit.
The trip comes at a difficult time for Blair and Bush, who were close allies in the war on Iraq and who have come under criticism given the coalition's failure to find weapons of mass destruction and continuing unrest in Iraq.
Blair's cozy relationship with Bush has antagonized many of his Labor Party lawmakers who opposed the unpopular war. Hundreds of thousands of people attended mass demonstrations against military action earlier this year.
The Stop the War Coalition hopes that 60,000 people will turn out for its "Stop Bush" rally in central London on Nov. 20.
"People are entitled to demonstrate but what I hope will come from this visit and consideration about this visit is a mature reflection about the nature of our relationship with the United States and with Europe and its importance," said Straw.
"But above all, what people have to decide is whether it is better in our interests and those of European countries for America to be pushed away from the U.K. and become more isolated or whether we engage in constructive partnership with the U.S., respecting them for what they are, which happens to be one of the oldest and largest democracies in the world and a greater force for good than many people are willing to accept," he added.
Organizers of the march claim London's police force has buckled to pressure from the White House for an "exclusion zone" around the president and say they have been banned from demonstrating near Parliament. The police denied any political interference.
Good question. Understand the answer and you will understand the true motivation and agenda behind the protests.
"Many more people...will be demonstrating...and the action which the United States has had to take since Sept. 11 than ever they demonstrated against the brutal, vicious, horrible regime of Saddam Hussein."
Evil is good and good is percieved as evil. Right has now become wrong and anyone who dares challenge the assumption is evil. As in the days of Noah.
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