Bush to Allawi: "We got a groovy kind of love"

[iamthewalrus109]

This picture really made me laugh when I saw it at first, then it made me think. Parading Allawi in front of Congress like he's some sort of successful leader was a bit demoralizing to me. I've never seen anything like this, this is blatant last minute politicking at its worst, shameless as far as I'm concerned. It's like Presdient Johnson, getting Theiu to give a speech and the 11th hour of his presdiency instead of not accepting the nomination on 3/31/68.

-Walrus

[tw]

With the UN starting a new session, the US is full of world leaders. Charlie Rose, for example, interviews the President of Pakistan, the new Premier of Inda, the foreign minister of Iran, etc. And yet only one world leader bothers to meet George Jr. No accident. The world basically has decided there is nothing more to discuss with George Jr being as he may be lame duck.

Interesting is India's new premier - a graduate of both Cambridge and Oxford. Pakistan's president was very critical of how America (ie George) does not understand the Arab world. But again, the most damning fact is tens of world leaders are in the US - and none are visiting George Jr. Even George Jr's speech to the UN was most noteable by a total silence from the General Assembly. Missing things are the most noteable.

[richlevy]

And this is the man who wants to curb gay rights?

[tw]

What ever happened to love of our closest ally?

from The Economist of 18 September 2004
Late last month, a ruling of a dispute panel of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) demolished the United States' case for punitive tariffs, which is based on a claim that Canada's export [of soft wood] are subsidised. But Canadians are not celebrating yet. ...

In 2002, the United States Department of Commerce imposed countervailing and anti-dumping duties totalling 27% on Canadian imports. That forced Canada's lumber companies to shut some 50 mills and lay off thousands of workers. ...

In a series of rulings over the past two years, tribunals of the WTO and NAFTA have [both] upheld Canada's argument. On August 31st, the NAFTA tribunal (with three Americans and two Canadian members) made a final, unanimous, ruling. Yet again, it rejected the claim that Canada's allegedly subsidized exports pose a threat of material injury to the American industry. It gave the US International Trade Commission (ITC), a branch of the Department of Commerce, ten days to accept this. ...

Jim Peterson, Canada's trade minister ... said that the next step is for the US to revoke the duties, refund the C$3.4 billion paid by Canadian firms, and then discuss ways to avoid further disputes.

Fat chance. On September 10th, the ITC said it accepted the NAFTA ruling. But only grudgingly: it lambasted the tribunal for "overstepping its authority... and committing legal error". That seems to open the way for an extraordinary challenge to the ruling. ...

Canadians are left to wonder whether their neighbours rhetoric about free trade and the rule of law is just that.

They expect god's choosen president to admit he made a mistake? He could not even do that in a nation wide, primetime TV news conference (which his advisors will not let him do again).

What all should wonder about is the massive numbers of decisions made by this George Jr administration to undermine and obstruct free trade. Many foolishly assume this administration advocates free trade. However the list of decisions against the US repeatedly since the mental midget because president is long, almost unanimous, and highlighted the by scandelous protection of anti-American steel companies (USX and Bethlehem Steel, et al). That obviously illegal steel trade tarrif was in outright violation of internation trade laws and to the detriment of some 20,000 to 40,000 American jobs in the productive American steel reprocessing industry. George Jr did not in hope of winning steel worker votes. Only dumb steel workers would thank Bush for only destroying more American jobs.

Why a love affair with an interrum Iraqi regiem? Because this president is alienating even our closest friends including Canada and what was suppose to be a close and personal George Jr friend - President Fox of Mexico. BTW, both Canada and Mexico openly opposed George Jr's unjustified Iraq war. Mexico doing this in the Security Council. Canada doing so verbally. Where is all this love? To have love, one must first have someone that can be loved. A mental midget president who snubs our closest ally deserves only contempt from Americans - from all three northern countries.

[tw]

Is love found when one is abusive? Abusive love is the only love this mental midget president gets.

from The Economist of 4 September 2004
It has been a rough summer at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for America's trade officials. Recently the arbiter of global trade rules has ruled against them in cases from cotton subsidies to Canadian lumber. Now the Geneva body has also meted out punishment. On August 31st, a WTO arbitration panel ruled that eight of the organization's members, including the European Union, could impose tariffs of up to $150million a year on American goods, because America has failed to repeal a law that the WTO first deemed illegal in 2002. ...

Passed by Congress in October 2000, it says that companies that initiate anti-dumping and anti-subsidy complaints should receive the proceeds of any duties that are imposed. It thus offers American firms a cash incentive to clamour for protection.

... It is a pity that, while America's lawmakers squeal about the importance of fair rules for global trade, they are reluctant to accept the WTO as a judge of what is fair and what is not.

God's choosen president openly opposes international trade while having some even believe that the neocons are free traders. Facts repeated say that George Jr openly opposed free trade - contrary even to the actions of his father.

One can use emotion to believe neocons are free traders. Reality: since 2000, the US has been repeatedly accused of and found guilty of violating the rules of free trade. Wave of unanamious decisions against the US has only started with the mental midget president. However we really should not blame George Jr. We pretty well know he does not make his own decisions. Therefore its not George's fault?

Bottom line - anyone who claims this administration advocates free trade has to believe more fiction - that world leaders love this president. Even the former premier of Singapore, who is also father of the current premier, is in American and will not visit this so *loveable* American president. Why be friends with someone who lies when he claims he advocates free trade.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Jim Peterson, Canada's trade minister ... said that the next step is for the US to revoke the duties, refund the C$3.4 billion paid by Canadian firms, and then discuss ways to avoid further disputes.

Definitely can't happen before the election,.....at least.

anyone who claims this administration advocates free trade has to believe more fiction - that world leaders love this president.

Well certainly not when it comes to Canadian prescription meds.