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January 13, 2008
The "Freedom Agenda" (Continued)
We've just arrived in Abu Dhabi in the U.A.E., where the U.S. President is spending 24 hours before heading to Saudi Arabia. He gave a speech a few minutes ago calling for political liberalization in the Middle East. It sounds a lot like the calls for freedom and democracy of 2005, when George Bush promised the U.S. would monitor democratization efforts of even close regional allies such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia. President Bush and UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
With twelve months left in his mandate, will Mister Bush's words have an impact? Send us your thoughts at mideast@cnn.com or add a comment below. --Posted by Hala Gorani in Abu Dhabi
we have seen Bush democracy in Iraq.he is more interested in selling arms and dealing with dictators than democracy in the middle east.he is blind when Israel kills and imprison thousands of Palestinians but he can see with both eyes when an Israeli is killed.every Arab knows that bush is lying in every thing, but his support to Israel and his support to the dictators.
I am pleased to see that Bush has started to realize that huge concessions are required from not only Palestine, but also Israel. He is to be congratulated for saying the Israeli 'settlements' inside Palestine must stop.
However, all the time that Bush turns a blind eye to human rights abuses and nuclear development in Saudi Arabia, while chastising Iran for similar - albeit more dangerous - actions, he can never be taken seriously. I am more hopeful for Middle East peace by the end of Bush's term now than I was a week ago, but even so, those hopes remain very slim. We were going to have peace after Camp David many years ago, but it never arrived. Until Bush makes some serious changes, peace is unfortunately just as far off.
Freedom agenda? You've got to be joking! It's an agenda of imperialism , pure and simple, pursuing the corporate interests of the true rulers of America.
Hello Hala,
I am a retired engineer who has lived most of his active life in the region. Unfortunetly I feel that President Bush has still not understood the fact that democracy has to be adapted to the particularities of each country in the region. It is not like some sort of antibiotic medicine that can be swallowed to cure disease. The whole issue is dependent on a prompt and equitable settlement of the Israeli Palestinian issue, and the Golan heights with Syria. Sad to see that the President has waited almost to the end of his mandate to tackle these very important issues....Bill Clinton also waited to the last few days of his mandate to try and sove this problem....with no success. Christian Munier
It's quite shamefull and sad that the world's most powerfull nation is now BEGGING for Arabs the price of oil low, so he can put his finishing touches to the most miserable presidency of modern times!
Instead of inspiring US companies and the American people to consume less and find alertnative fuels, he's dancing with a sord and making an idiot out of himself. To add insult to injury, he's offering Saudi's who have done NOTHING to fight terrorisum, $20B more in weapons. These guys haven't even recognized Isreal and we are claiming we are promoting democracy in the Mid East!? Who are we fooling here!? |
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