Bush's Foreign Policy Speech

[Donald]

In his first major foreign policy speech since he was reelected: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/12/20041201-4.html President Bush took the world to school over the whole issue of pre-emptive action in the war on terror. No longer held back by any political considerations, Bush has explained the American policy in terms even the -(dumb slur)- will understand. Or they should.

Said the president: "The success of multilateralism is measured not merely by following a process, but by achieving results. The objective of the U.N. and other institutions must be collective security, not endless debate."

Bush wasn't through though: "Defense alone is not a sufficient strategy. There is only one way to deal with enemies who plot in secret and set out to murder the innocent and the unsuspecting: We must take the fight to them." Translation: we have to kill Islamic terrorists before they kill us. He also talked about the idea of advancing freedom and liberty in the Middle East: "By taking the side of reformers and democrats in the Middle East, we will gain allies in the war on terror and isolate the ideology of murder and help to defeat the despair and hopelessness that feeds terror. The world will become a much safer place as democracy advances."

The message is now the same as it was 3 years ago: you are either with us, or you are with the terrorists. Good show

[Richard Haut]

Your "translations" are not what Bush said, Donald.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that you have misrepesented Bush's words in a way which is directly counter to what he has said that he wishes to achieve.

You take statements out of context and then misrepresent them in the manner that suits your own prejudices.

[Donald]

Not my translation, its the read on how things went....the president, explained that he realized most Canadians did not support the war in Iraq, and said "I'm the kind of fellow who does what he thinks is right, and will continue to do what I think is right."

That's a nice little shot at politicians in Canada that stick their wet finger in the air to see which way the political wind is blowing. When he was asked about the polls in Canada, Bush said"We just had a poll in our country when people decided that the foreign policy of the Bush administration ought to stay in place for four more years." So much for that idea.

The fact of the matter is that Canada relies on the United States, and has for years. Economically, Canada would not exist without the United States. We have also provided and paid for a large portion of their national security for years. We provide better security for our borders than do they. Believe it or not, Canada has a much more lax immigration system than we do (as if that could actually be possible.)

They always fall back into line....because they have to. Without the United States, Canada is nothing. And they know it.

[Richard Haut]

Great quote, Donald: "Without the United States, Canada is nothing. And they know it"

- and some of them speak French.

Are you sure that that is what Bush meant to say ?

[Donald]

Its like the TV commercial running during the runup to the election.Being in France, you haven't seen it... its the commercial where this guy is choking and his friends sit around the table talking about the Heimlich Maneuver? Finally someone from another table walks over and actually performs the maneuver instead of just sitting around talking about it. The announcer says "less talk, more action." That's George Bush. The friends sitting around the table with the choker probably aren't all that pleased with the character from the other table. Who the hell does he think he is to show them up like that? Obviously the choker's friends are French.

Bush's translation is as noted above: "Defense alone is not a sufficient strategy. There is only one way to deal with enemies who plot in secret and set out to murder the innocent and the unsuspecting: We must take the fight to them." Translation: we have to kill Islamic terrorists before they kill us....and the world will become a much safer place as democracy advances."