Bush Middle East Speech Discussion Thread

[RCW2001]

Bush Middle East Speech Discussion Thread

[AlGone2001]

I am so proud of President Bush.

He has basically placed the ball in the court of the Muslim world.

If they choose to do nothing, then President Bush can more easily gain the political backing in our Congress, as well as better support from the other civilized world leaders.

It is amazing how much some will lie, just to make President Bush look like a liar.

[Howlin]

What did STRETCH say about the '67 borders?

[RCW2001]

Here's the first Haaretz spin...

Bush calls for Palestinian state with provisional borders

By Nathan Guttman, Ha'aretz Correspondent, Ha'aretz Service and Agencies

President George W. Bush called Monday night for the creation of a Palestinian state with provisional borders in his long-awaited speech Monday night on the Middle East offering a roadmap to statehood for the Palestinians.

Speaking from the Rose Garden, Bush opened by saying that "the hatred of a fear holds the hopes of many hostage."

"For the sake of all humanity things must change in the Middle East," Bush said.

The president said that it was "untenable for Israeli citizens to live in terror" and "untenable for Palestinians to live in squalor." The current situation gives little hope, he said.

He said that the "Palestinian Authority was encouraging, not opposing terrorism."

"My vision is two states living side by side," Bush said. The president called "on the Palestinian people to elect new leaders," and to embrace democracy, tolerance and liberty.

He said under such conditions the U.S. would support the creation of the Palestinian state, whose "borders will be provisional" until a final settlement is reached between Israel and the Palestinians.

Bush said a Palestinian state will never be created by terror, but reform.

He called for a new Palestinian constitution and for
the Palestinian parliament to have real powers.

Bush said that the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 would come to an end after negotiations between the sides based on UN Resolutions 242 and 328.

He said that Jerusalem and the problem of Palestinian refugees will be solved in later negotiations.

Bush said that the Arab world had offered its help to achieve peace, and said that both Lebanon and Syria need to make peace with Israel.

"This moment is both an opportunity and a test for all parties in the Middle East," Bush said.

Bush is expected to dispatch Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region soon in order to help organize a Middle East peace conference. The United States would like to hold such a conference this summer in order to build international consensus for the plan.

Palestinian Authority Planning Minister Nabil Shaath said on Sunday a Bush speech could unleash a "program of action" that would create a new climate and help ease violence in the region.

[rintense]

I loved that quote from the Bible. Could someone please post it?

[Mo1]

Jennifer Griffin just mentioned that the President's speach was not aired in Pal

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

See - David Gregory and all of the pressterrorists (new title for them) are going to do their best to convince the world that President Bush did NOT say what you all have been eyewitness reporters telling us out in TV deprived land what he DID say!

If I were the President - and thank GOD I am not - I would now send out my representatives - esp. VP Cheney - to get on the appropriate presstorrist programs and say again what the President just said - otherwise - it will be the David Gregory pressterrorists conveying the LIES that the PRESSTERRORIST want said about this speech!

[traditionalist]

A MSNBC commentator said Bush told Israel she would have to abandon the settlements. Did anyone else hear that?

No. Just that settlement activity has to stop.

[rintense]

He called for a provisional state, if and when the Palestinian people are willing wo dump Arafat, and put in place a governing legislature and follow democracy. Until then, nada. IOW, Arafat's gotta go.

[mhking]

I did hear him say that to gain peace Israel will have to end the occupation that it began in 1967.

Only date he mentioned was the 2000 date (prior to the beginning of this round of back and forth battles). He did not specifically mention 1967 in any way, shape or form.

[carton253]

I think Bush is referring to secure borders as Netanyahu refers to them. Israel wants the heights. I believe Bush just gave them that. It's 1967 borders (which Israel has agreed to in the past) but modified for security (which gives Israel the heights)

[r9etb]

How will autocratic and despotic states set up a liberal democracy? How would any Arab states know anything about it? Why can't our elected leaders bring themselves to admit, publicly, that the Muslim world has no tradition or understanding of representative government or rights or balance of powers or freedom of religion or anything else connected to advanced societies?

You're not going to get a Western democracy out of this deal, so I don't recommend that you use Western Democracy as the gold standard.

Instead, the gold standard to apply is: a stable government that does not take overt hostile actions against Israel.

While it's by no means perfect, Egypt's government is doing a pretty good job so far. Jordan is not all bad, either, though I count it as wobbly. And those would be the ones advising the PA, so perhaps it could work ... IF they can find some honest Palestinians.

[Catspaw]

I love it, too :-))

Yasser must be ready to blow....it looks like Condi's statements--and Yasser's nasty reply last week--are coming to fruition.

But I'm not holding my breath about Yasser leaving. However, Yasser should have never lied to Bush about the Iranian arms shipment. Bush does not deal with liars.

[cmsgop]

Can I have a segment on your show where I'll say stupid stuff and post dumb pic's ?.....:*)

[RCW2001]

Reuters spin...

Bush supports Palestinian state with new leaders

 (adds details) 
    By Steve Holland 
    WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - In a harsh rebuke to Yasser 
Arafat, President George W. Bush said on Monday the United 
States supported creating a provisional Palestinian state but 
only if there is a "new and different Palestinian leadership." 
    "Peace requires a new and different Palestinian leadership, 
so that a Palestinian state can be born. I call on the 
Palestinian people to elect new leaders not compromised by 
terror," Bush said as he set out his Middle East peace policy. 
    In the much-awaited speech, Bush laid out his vision for a 
provisional state called Palestine to be set up after about an 
18-month period. 
    But he set stern conditions, saying the Palestinians must 
find a new leader, create democratic institutions, and 
establish new security arrangements with Israel. 
    "When the Palestinian people have new leaders, new 
institutions, and new security arrangements with their 
neighbors, the United States of America will support the 
creation of a Palestinian state," Bush said in a statement 
delayed several times because of continuing violence in the 
region. 
    Bush never mentioned Arafat by name. But a senior aide, 
asked if the president meant that Arafat must go before the 
United States would back a provisional state, said: "We've been 
very clear that we think there has been significant problems 
with the Palestinian leadership." 
    Bush said borders and certain aspects of the sovereignty of 
the new state would be provisional until resolved as part of a 
final settlement. He called on Israel to pull back to its 
positions before Sept. 28, 2000, basically clearing out of 40 
percent of the West Bank. 
    The aides said if the conditions are met, a provisional 
Palestinian state could be established in 18 months and then 
made permanent in about three years as part of a final Middle 
East settlement. 
    Bush called on Israel to halt settlement activity in the 
occupied territories and to release frozen Palestinian 
revenues. 
    And he said once new Palestinian insitutions and leaders 
emerge, he expected Israel to respond by working toward a final 
status agreement. 
    "With intensive effort by all, this agreement could be 
reached within three years from now. I and my country will 
actively lead toward that goal," he said. 
    Bush said Israelis and Palestinians must ultimately address 
the core issues that divided them if there is to be a real 
peace, resolving all claims and ending the conflict between 
them. 
    He said any settlement must be based on U.N. resolutions 
242 and 338, and that "we must also resolve questions 
concerning Jerusalem, the plight and future of Palestinian 
refugees, and a final peace between Israel and Lebanon, and 
Israel and a Syria that supports peace and fights terror." 
    A senior U.S. official said Secretary of State Colin Powell 
was in contact with leaders in the region but was not 
immediately going there, as had been widely reported. 
 Bush did not mention the prospect of a Middle East peace 
conference, which U.S. officials have said they hope to hold 
this summer. The U.S. official said the situation was too 
volatile at this moment to try to arrange a conference. 
((Washington newsroom, fax 202 898 8383, email 
Washington.bureau.newsroom@reuters.com)) 

[Delbert]

I think there will be a major bamb attack within the next 24 hours, and that will be the Palestinian answer to the Bush speech. Another major blast and resulting Israeli response will throw the entire speech out the window. THEY WANT HATE,THEY DONT WANT PEACE. I am so sick of "2 states living side by side in peace" mantra. The Palestinians do not want Israel to even exist. Blind hatred.

[carton253]

I think I did hear him say that... but that is not a subsequent condition... not a first condition. They only need to pull back to where they were before Operation Defensive Shield.

[mombonn]

When will "they" EVER learn!

LOL - we know the answer to that one!

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

I saw you on the other thread but came over here where the "action" was - sorry I didn't ping you to join us.

[SJackson]

Bush's speech provides the entre for a policy of war against Palestinian terror. That's not a waste at all. And it's many miles from where we were when Powell was sent in practical supplication a couple months ago.

I would tend to agree. I think he's giving Israel cover for aggressive actions in rooting out terror. The Palestinian's have an out, which they won't take.

I think the lack of any specific US action, ie Powell or Zinni trip, call for summit, etc. may be significant.

[dawn53]

Like the Bible says: I have set before you life and death...choose life

Wasn't that the clincher, quoting the Bible to Muslims, LOL!!!