Transcript of Bush, Sharon statements

CNN ^ | April 14, 2004

[SJackson]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush met Wednesday at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and praised Sharon's proposed withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

The Palestinians object to a provision in the plan, which would allow Israel to retain control of six blocs of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[bobo1]

W has testicles, something severly lacking in rats.

I heard on "Bohanan" (probably the wrong spelling, forgive) this morning on the radio that Bush could not support Sharon's position. The shill commentators should now tuck their tails between their legs and admit that they have no clue.

The rats can only focus on what is going on today. They have absolutely no inkling of the future. They are still in the mindset of Chamberlain declaring "Peace in our time".

Chamberlain had the courage to admit that he was wrong. I can respect him for that

Rats will never admit that they are wrong. I have no respect for them, Zell excluded.

Blessings, Bobo

[adam_az]

Wow.

[M 91 u2 K]

Sharon's Surrender Suicide plan will not be approved by the Likud Party. Israel cannot afford to scarafice crucial areas, that are vital to her survival. A Palestinian state cannot exist until Radical Islam has been defeated. Retreating from the West Bank and Gaza is the equivalent of the US retreating from Iraq. Hama,Islamic Jihad,Hizobollah and all Radical Muslims will see this as a victory, and continue their assault against Israel and the United States.

[vanmorrison]

...So now what we need to hear from President Bush is that the Kurds deserve an independent Kurdistan, due to "new realities on the ground".

Then, with Israel secure and ready to go after the Palestinians, and with a newly secured Kurdistan in what is now northern Iraq, and with bases in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Eritrea, and Afghanistan, the US can begin to really get serious about the war on terror with the primary perpetrators of all the killing and murder, the Syrians and Iranians, and their enablers, the Saudis and Egyptians.

[onedoug]

I will never believe that in addition to 22 or so already extant Arab states, yet another should be erected in Israel.

[mitchbert]

This has obviously been in the works for sometime and I would suspect that Egypt and Jordan have privately agreed to the approach. Neither of them have any love for Arafat or the Pali entity as it now exists. This is about as major a kick in the groin to Arafat as one could imagine...they have completely boxed him in. Unfortunately, we can expect some ramp up of Pali terror in the short term.

I was thinking the other night, maybe there's a bigger plan afoot. Egypt and Israel seem to have essential agreeement on how the Gaza pullback will work, and Egypt seems to have a security role working with Israel. This isolates the West Bank. Should it veer to anarchy (not a long trip as things are now) is it inconceivable that Jordan will play a role in subduing Arafat's thugs? I don't think it's beyond consideration as Israel and Jordan have for some time had very quiet cooperation on security matters. This may be just the first shot in the Palestinian end game...one that removes Arafat and the terror organizations once and for all. Just a thought.

[hchutch]

FYI ping.

Pat Buchanan must be beside himself.

[SJackson]

This has obviously been in the works for sometime and I would suspect that Egypt and Jordan have privately agreed to the approach.

I'm sure it was. Egypt and Jordan need Arafat and Hamas like the Saudi's need Al Qaida.

The PLO's phased plan of 1974, a formal policy document still in effect and referred to as recently as the road map by Arafat, calls for "reunification", peaceful or otherwise, with Jordan once a "state" is achieved, prior to the final destruction of Israel. Jordan's fought that battle once already, though not as timidly as Israel.

[ScaniaBoy]

Actually Jordan's major worry is that Palestinians will move from Judea and Samaria across the Jordan river. In a recent meeting between Sharon and king Abdullah Sharon had to promise the King that Israel would retain the control of the borders with Jordan!

So much for brotherly love between the Arabs.

[SJackson]

Pat Buchanan must be beside himself.

You'd think he'd be happy, essentially the US is disengaging.

[11th_VA]

It seems clear that an agreed, just, fair and realistic framework for a solution to the Palestinian refugee issue as part of any final status agreement will need to be found through the establishment of a Palestinian state and the settling of Palestinian refugees there rather than Israel.

This is the crux of the speech, all the rest is boilerplate. This is the ONE point Arafat would never conceed.

Ping me when John Kerry responds to this one ...

[hchutch]

"The United States is strongly committed and I am strongly committed to the security of Israel as a vibrant Jewish state. I reiterate our steadfast commitment to Israel's security and to preserving and strengthening Israel's self-defense capability, including its right to defend itself against terror."

That, I think is the part Buchanan doesn't like.

[vanmorrison]

Your comments made me think; is it possible that the Gaza strip will be ceded to Egypt and the West Bank will be ceded to Jordan? This way, the Palestinian problem, created because of the previous failures in Egyptian and Jordanian wars with Israel, is defused permanently. At least as far as the Israelis are concerned.

The only difficulty with this scenario is that the Egyptians and Jordanians haven't indicated thus far that they want anything to do with their fellow Arabs, the Palestinians. For all of their bellyaching about the treatment of Palestinians through the years, you'd have thought so. But, given the past pathological behavior of the Palestinians, it seems their fellow Arabs know only too well that the Palestinians are like the crazy, ne'er-do-well, brother-in-law who is shunned by the family.

[mitchbert]

It's possible but I think more likely is that Egypt and Jordan will somehow be instrumental in bringing some semblance of order to the territories (in some form of coperation with Israel) that ends in the removal/destruction of the PA and other terror groups followed by new leaders with strong cooperative ties to Egypt and Jordan. That is, unless behind the scenes the major players have quietly been working with Palis who want no part of further hostilities with Israel and want to just put this tragic mess into the annals of history. Remember, free speech doesn't exist in Pali lands; opposing Arafat is a ticket to a high perch from a scaffold swinging upside down...there may be far more Plais willing to live in peace than we are led to believe. It wouldn't be the first time in history enemies simply decided enough was enough and decide to build for the future instead of endlessly refighting the past. Get rid of the thugs and we may see interesting and positive things. One can hope, anyway.

[af_vet_1981]

I wish to end with a personal note. I, myself have been fighting terror for many years, and understand the threats and cost of terrorism. In all these years, I have never met a leader as committed as you are, Mr. President, to the struggle for freedom and the need to confront terrorism wherever it exists.

I want to express my appreciation to you for your courageous leadership in the war against global terror, and your commitment and vision to bring peace to the Middle East.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank G-d for President Bush.

[mitchbert]

And Turkey's relationship with Israel is explained how?

Look, I hear what you're saying, and on a very basic level I understand and agree, but I hold out hope that some folks there see the need to move on. Maybe I'm naive, I could be. Still, a chance for those who wish at least coexistence to emerge is better than just assuming that everyone whose parents raised them Moslem sees the extermination of Jews as their role in life is worth exploring. JMHO. Thanks.