The Most Hated Man in the World? Thousands Protest Against Bush Visit to Germany
February 23rd, 2005
February 23rd, 2005 4:47 pm
Thousands protest against Bush visit to Germany
MAINZ, Germany (AFP) - At least 4,000 demonstrators vented their anger at the visit of US President George W. Bush to Germany but were kept well away from the security ring around him.
The centre of the picturesque western city was almost totally deserted after being shut to traffic and pedestrians during Bush's visit, with only a few police vehicles and armoured cars visible in the streets.
The protesters brandished placards reading "Terrorist Nr 1" and "Bush Swim Home" while police helicopters circled overhead.
The organizers of the rallies, an alliance of pacifist groups under the motto "Not Welcome, Mr Bush", said they were expecting 10,000 people to attend, but police put the numbers at about 4,000.
"Everything is very peaceful," said the organisers' spokesman Reiner Braun.
The stretch of the Rhine river that flows through Mainz was shut to shipping, but police confirmed that a boat with an anti-Bush protester on board had managed to sail towards a bridge shortly before the president's motorcade crossed it.
Three police launches intercepted the boat before it reached the bridge.
Police sealed manhole covers, removed mailboxes, insisted garage doors remain open and even temporarily closed the airspace to protect the US leader.
German airline Lufthansa complained that the security measures for Bush's visit had forced the cancellation of 71 of its flights from Frankfurt airport.
Frankfurt, Germany's biggest airport, was closed for 25 minutes on Wednesday morning to allow Bush's jet to land at the nearby US airbase Rhein-Main.
But Lufthansa said none of its flights were able to take off in the 45 minutes which followed Bush's arrival.
"We had to cancel 71 flights because of the temporary closure of Frankfurt airport and because of the reduced frequency on the takeoff and landing runways," said Lufthansa spokesman Thomas Jachnow.
The extent of the security measures for Bush's visit "were hard to understand in our opinion", he added.
Jachnow said a total of 4,675 passengers on Lufthansa and other flights were affected by the disruption.
A spokesman for Frankfurt airport confirmed that 104 flights were cancelled because of the US president's arrival but said that bad weather conditions were to blame.
There was a 57-kilometre-wide (35.4-mile-wide) air exclusion zone in operation over Mainz.
Security was also tight in the neighbouring city of Wiesbaden where Bush visited US troops later on Wednesday.
Bush made a one-day visit to Germany during which he and Schroeder discussed the Iranian nuclear crisis, the Middle East Peace process, the role of Syria in Lebanon and efforts to stabilize Iraq.
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Bush doesn't sees reality....
It's lunch time in Washington DC --and I just listened to Bush/Putin --I can see why the differences of these two are 'no where' near the 'middle ground'.
Bush still doesn't get it'...that he doesn't have what it takes for 'foreign policy'..and foreign diplomacy'..since all he practices are 'get-to tactics'.
He doesn't answer questions with 'tact' nor 'truth'..(spin mostly) ...he's the most evasive and off-the-cuff president ever. --He's pissing people off with 'american arrogrance'.
A grand opportunity for all the foreign countries to 'start facing-off with the U.S. -- what goes around comes around.
Bush doesn't have clue what really is going on with the 'world'..he has a one-sided vision of 'freedom'..and a one-sided interpretation of 'democracy'...which has nothing to do with many other issues --that justify his position w/ 'PR campaigns'.
Neo Con Reality
This isn't about Europe's reality, or liberal's reality. Since the beginning of the Neo-Con take over, this has been about creating their own reality and forcing it down other's throats. If you read Kristol or Krauthammer, you'll notice the same pattern again and again. First they say something like "Liberals refuse to live in the real world over (some issue). Then they will sight the correctness of their position based on some data or historical precedent, usually wrong, convoluted, or just plain made up. They assume that their readers will never check the facts, because their writing seems so credible, or others told them that this writer is always correct.
Finally the name calling begins. This is what the 2 day writing program that Gannon attended must teach.
The faux journalist that I have learned to hate is one Marc Steyn. Apparently he works in Canada and England as a food and theater critic for Hollinger. But the Chicago Sun-Times prints a Sunday op-ed column by him that is filled with hatred. I have complained on many occasions, but it does no good.
OMG...Putin would be a better president than Bush
"First of all, I'm not the minister of propaganda," Putin said. "Second, we discuss all issues in absolute openness."
Bush, too, was put on the defensive. When a Russian journalist suggested that the Netherlands is more democratic than the United States, Bush said, "I'm perfectly comfortable in telling you, our country is one that safeguards human rights and human dignity, and we resolve our disputes in a peaceful way."
Putin backed Bush on that one, offering a rare smile as he called the Netherlands analogy a "curious choice."
Sounded like an interesting meeting between them - I wish I was a fly on the wall for that meeting.
Security measures
Are the same security measures taken when Schroeder, Putin (or presidents of other countries) visits USA (ie. airpots closed down, 71 flights rerouted and a 25 mile air exclusion zone maintained, not to mentioned a detachment of private chefs just in case someone tries to slip him a mickey)? And what about the strip searches, I think it was in Asia (China?), where all cooks and associate servers were checked for anal contraband.
Just wondering, if visting heads of countries in USA get the same security checks? If not what are we implying about the people that live in these other countries?
It can only happen with a Repug US President.
I would think that if something were to happen to this POS that all Hell would break loose in these countries.... We can only hope that all Hell does break loose.
Outside View
Detroit, March 3 (UPI)
A careful reading of "The Fall" reveals that President Bush's quote from Albert Camus in Brussels was an astonishing mistake. Many of our European friends may now be laughing up their sleeves at the United States' head of state. To those who know Camus, a White House speechwriter may have created a spectacle, in which the president unwittingly parodied himself.
The quote, "freedom is a long-distance race," was ripped from its context, one that establishes beyond doubt that Camus' words were not meant straightforwardly. No, a careful reading makes clear thay were intended as a spoof of the thought of his former friend, Jean-Paul Sartre.
snip
The paragraph from which the president quoted begins by having Clamence extolling slavery, as Camus believed Sartre had done by aligning himself with the French Communist Party. Then Camus has Clamence condemn himself of hypocrisy, for which Camus criticized Sartre in his journal, by saying that he "was always talking of freedom. At breakfast I used to spread it on my toast, I used to chew it all day long, and in company my breath was delightfully redolent of freedom. With that key work I would bludgeon whoever contradicted me; I made it serve my desires and my power."
snip
Camus' character, while sounding resolute and tireless about pursuing freedom, making it seem daunting and thankless but the mark of a true human being, is really prattling on about freedom. He is intimidating people with it, using it for purposes of self-interest and does not at all believe in it. The grand-sounding phrase about freedom being a "long-distance race" is just another piece of flimflam. Camus, a writer who pondered every phrase, every word, might turn in his grave upon hearing Bush misunderstand his meaning. He might also insist that those responsible for the Camus vogue among the neoconservatives because of his determined opposition to terrorism are picking and choosing their Camus in their own self-interest, ignoring his equally determined condemnation of political violence. But, great French ironist that he was, he mignt just as well be smiling a sly smile of satisfaction at seeing the US president spreading freedom on his breakfast toast.
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20050301-054358-9493r
Who wrote the speech? rove?