Why is Bush kissing European ass?

[ALago1]

What does he want? You know he would not do so if he didn't need to in order to fulfill some personal objective.

Laying the groundwork of some fake "diplomacy" for an Iran invasion?

Covering his ass incase the dollar absolutely crumbles in world financial markets?

A diversion from Gannon?

I really don't know at this point. Anyone have an idea what the real purpose is?

[benburch]

1. He's not.

He's asking them to kiss his ring and accept American Empire.

He's just LOOKING conciliatory to the press.

[murray hill farm]

7. So true!!

If you watch CNN...it looks like he is there to mend fences...just like condi rice...it is amazing to listen to the spin...but..if you actually read what he says there....he is just saying again and again...that the world will bow to the usa...or pay the consequenses...and we know what that will be...god help us..or someone please save us from this monster.

[Richard Steele]

31. You are so right, mexicopat!

He is NOT conducting diplomacy;
rather, he is smugly rubbing the world's nose in a big steaming pile of his "accomplishments".

Some days I honestly think he is trying to bring about the END of the world.
Other days, I think he's only trying to destroy the USA.

Our nation is NOT in good shape for the long term, and this jackass is doing EVERYTHING he can to piss off the people we will NEED HELP FROM when the shit hits the fan!

When China dumps the dollar, and we have no friends anymore, and we don't have the cash to maintain our military...
Well, you do the math.

[EFerrari]

39. Some days, I honestly think he is, too.

I've caught myself thinking, when will they start bombing US? Just really panicked thinking. Other times, "man, maybe someone should invade US so we can have freedom, democratic elections and a new infrastructure.

:nuke:

I think he's out there doing the combination plate: Seeing who will whore themselves into attacking Iran (AND Syria? Eyes too big for your stomach, Smirk?) WHILE he gets some ring kissing.

Can't believe this man (to use the term very loosely, because of the implied humanity) represents this country.

And a big kick for all the demonstrations that are not getting covered in the corporate media. (Need to track those reports down.)Thank you, Belgium!

[DuaneBidoux]

49. And I think there is an increasing risk that the world will say

we're tired of financing your huge debt, now go fuck yourself.

[ailsagirl]

53. Unless * changes his policies, Europe isn't going to change

its mind about what a piece of crap * is.

And since the likelihood of * changing his policies (he's never wrong, you know) that's about as likely as Rove turning into an honest person.

Not bloodly likely.

[Skidmore]

2. Cause he wants more war, and is running out

of finances, soldiers, and equipment can't be produced enough. He's trying to cover his military ass.

[Lorien]

4. Yep, and desperately searching for a new "coalition"

with which to invade Iran. :eyes:

[yvr girl]

3. He's a culture vulture

A man of very refined tastes. /sarcasm off

[annabanana]

5. He just went over there to rub their noses

in his purported empire. I also think that Cheney's outfit at Auschwitz was deliberate.

[googly]

15. exactly,....he is rubbing their noses in their misunderestimating will

of Iraqi's to go out and vote with 60% turnout. The
Europeans are amazed at the Iraqi election outcome.

[Dying Eagle]

6. Shrub has no merit in Europe

They are laughing there collective asses off behind the scenes. "Look< The American dickhead is hear to kiss our asses. He still gets a NO! on Iran."

[TreasonousBastard]

8. Because Rice was there...

and told him it would be a good idea to go.

It seems the Europeans are making noises like they are not US colonies and don't care all that much about "American interests." They have more people, a higher total GDP, and don't have to import half the stuff they need to live.

They will be very nice to him because they have to be nice to him. Just like they were very nice to Condi.

And then they will plan to get out of NATO, make the Euro the international currency of choice, and to never have to kiss his ass again.

[FreedomAngel82]

18. I think you're right

And then as soon as Bush leaves they probably have fun laughing at him.
I know I would.

[KayLaw]

9. Fox news

I don't watch it but had it on for a few seconds a couple of weeks ago, using the stock market ticker. The woman anchor was saying something bizarre, like, So I guess Dr. Rice is going to try to find out whether Europe really does support freedom and democracy throughout the world... I took it to mean, Condi was looking for dough.

[FreedomAngel82]

19. Freedom and democracy?

Don't they mean mass murdering? :eyes:

[Malva Zebrina]

10. I don't know but I am getting sick of Yahoo news constantly

running pictures of his filthy face, his waving, Laura's wig hairdo and tight face, and headlines that depict him as some sort of diplomatic hero on an epic visit to Europe making "peace"



The man is a ruthless war criminal killer who slaughtered thousands. I can't stand looking at him and it gets worse with every headline and picture Yahoo shoots up as current news.

[borg5575]

35. I deleted Yahoo news.

It's not one of my presets anymore. I agree with you 100%.

[flordehinojos]

11. i hope europe gives him nothing--accpts nothing from him &enters into zero

agreements with him ..

[MAlibdem]

12. B/c a united European foreign policy or military is forming

We have undercut Britain's effectiveness to hold off a united european foreign policy and military by taking ourselves out of the discussion. NATO is becoming increasingly irrelevant, and France (and to an extent Germany) are hoping to exploit the situation by becoming the main players in Europe. A united Europe could serve as a counter balance to American power and as a main player, France hopes to gain foreign policy power by giving up some sovereignty.

[robbedvoter]

13. "I am not bitter" is not exactly kissing ass.

Running from Gannon, pretending to get the Iraq coalition, falling in love with WOMEN (not men, WOMEN), etc

[EC]

14. He needs to borrow money

and China will not give him anymore...

[googly]

16. Europe has 12% UNemployment, stagnant economies, weak

military, and are hopping mad their influence in the
world is so diminshed compared to the glory days of
colonization. The per capita GDP of the European union
is $26,900 compared to $35,000 for USA. And our economy
is expanding faster, so they are falling further behind.

[mmonk]

20. Ask Jack Welsh (G.E.)

or Bill Gates how weak the E.U. is.

[googly]

25. Ask the 12% UNemployed Germans & French and Swedes

[ALago1]

21. Obvious question...

If Europe's influence on world affairs is so menial then why does Bush bother to court them?

[googly]

26. Duh, Europe is still #2 in the world, but won't be for long since

China will overtake Europe in less than 5 years, and India will
overtake Europe in 10-15 years. The high taxes in Europe is a
huge drag on their economies. And their indigenous populations
are decreasing, while flooded with under-educated emmigres from
muslim countries. Did you know China graduates SIX times as many
engineers currently as United States?

But like I said, at this time in history, European union still
has a lot of military power consisting of nukes, missiles and
aircraft. And they are all democracies. So, we need them as
partners in expanding democracies in middle-east where there
are few (Israel, Afghanistan, Iraq is on the way).

[pabloseb]

63. Googly, did you notice this is DEMOCRATIC underground?

You've managed to squeeze a record number of right-wing ideas/misconceptions/spins/factual errors in a few posts here. I respect everybody's opinion, but wasn't this supposed to be democratic underground??? :shrug:

[Richard Steele]

32. Just FASCINATING, googly!

Where are you getting these pearls of wisdom?

And how does this relate to the OPs question?

_NOT_ flaming you, I'm just asking. Seriously.

[borg5575]

36. I just Googled those figures.

The figures are correct. However, IMO it's beside the point. The fact that Europe is going through a downward cycle in their economy doesn't change the fact that Bush is a war criminal and the Rethugs stole the last two elections.

Any economist will tell you that economics is cyclical. Europe will come back economically.

[DuaneBidoux]

46. See my post to put those stats in perspective

It's not as simple as GDP. An average French worker is actually more productive than an average American worker, but when you work 1000 hours (or nearly 40% more) per year than an average European worker it is actually a bad thing that your GDP is only roughly 30% higher.

The Europeans have made their choices, and they don't regret them, and they don't want to live here, and they aren't jealous--all myths the Wall Street Journal Editorial page will give you. My European family has been to the states 20 times, and travel the world, returning to a small house and a secure job, and health insurance. My American families, with their 3500 sq ft (avg) homes, and credit card debt out the asses can't afford now to go anywhere, and especially now that our currency is becoming third world.

Google the hours worked for an American worker, and then for a European worker, and ask yourself how much healthier YOUR family life would be with the difference in those hours. What do you have to sacrifice to have a vacation? Can't have a tv and dvd player in every room. Yea' the Europeans are just green with envy.

[borg5575]

57. I already knew that.

But thank you anyway.

[DuaneBidoux]

45. This is the classical conservative take.

It simply isn't true. They have 12% unemployment because they count them all (ours would be significantly higher if we did too). Their savings rate is much higher than ours--which is one reason their unemployment rate is higher. I have family in Europe (French)--the average French family lives, it is true, in a smaller house, and has fewer appliances, but most average Europeans have the cash to buy out the average American family in a heartbeat. The savings rate of a French family averages 20%.

One reason why we grow faster is we are willing to borrow borrow borrow to consume today. We are the ones moving toward a third world economy with a debt level that is turning us into a large Argentina with nuclear weapons.

Another reason their per-capita income is lower is that they have made a CONSCIOUS CHOICE to choose time with the family and time on vacation over slavery to the boss. It is an American illusion to think we have it better off and while there may be someone from Namibia or Iraq that wants to immigrate to the US, the Europeans are quite content with the societies and obligations to each other they have built. Most wouldn't trade to be in the shoes of an uninsured, insecure, debt ridden American in a heartbeat--this I know from my own family.

[idlisambar]

50. Yet another factor

The U.S. methodology for measuring inflation and GDP is less conservative than the methodologies of European nations (or any nation)...

http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-110252-16&type=Analysis

The per-capita income advantage in the U.S. is thus overstated.

[googly]

56. Link to budget deficits in France & Germany....also mentions unemploymt

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3225083.stm

[idlisambar]

61. Thanks for the info

Yes, Germany and France are running large budget deficits like the U.S, but unlike the U.S. they are not running large trade deficits. Germany consistently runs large trade surpluses fueled by their strength in autos and machine tools among other products.

This article (and other more recent sources) also mention that unemployment is around 9% not 12% as you stated in the posts above.

[googly]

62. Yes this article says 9%, but I recall reading another article

which said 12%, but I don't remember the source.

[blm]

17. CYA for WHEN the dollar tumbles thanks to his economic blunders.

Thanks for the decades of deficits, you fucking fascist CROOK.

[googly]

28. The main reason $ is tumbling is due to

our importing 2/3 of our oil. That and trade deficit with
China and Japan is causing dollar to go down. There is not a
damn thing any president can do except drill for more oil here.

[Richard Steele]

33. UH, howzabout weaning OFF the OIL, maybe?

That would be one "damn thing" that any president could do.

No matter whose numbers you use, the oil economy is gonna end in the forseeable future.

WHAT IF: "any president" started showing some genuine LEADERSHIP and began to PREPARE HIS NATION for the future we all KNOW is coming?

Nah, that'll never work...better just drill more, right?

[Berserker]

38. Well said Dick

and a GREAT comeback.

[googly]

43. Are you serious? Bush is an oil man from way back when....

and so long as people love to drice gas guzzling SUV's
there will be no action on saving gasoline. So, it is
either drill more or pay more at the pump...take your
choice for the next 4 years.

[blm]

41. Try, FULLY FUNDING alternative fuel research as Kerry would've on DAY ONE.

The rest of the world is wary of our deficit which is ballooning under Bush's policies.

[googly]

44. All the alternate sources of energy will never be funded until

there is no more oil left in the ground. You just
can't compete with a source where you just pump it
out of the ground. When the powers to be determine
there is no more oil left to pump, you better believe
there will be alternate sources developed in a hurry.
I worked at Argonne Labs on fuel cells more than a decade
ago. But it ain't gonna happen until..like I said...the
oil starts to run out. There is too much oil left in
Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Russia, Kuwait, other Persian gulf
countries and other places.

[idlisambar]

51. A president could certainly do more than that

Most of the trade deficit is not in oil but manufactured goods. A president could push policies that promoted domestic manufacturing.

[RogueTrooper]

59. No

the reason the dollar is tumbling is because the American economy is being run into the ground by crony capitalists. The only economic factor keeping the dollar from collapsing are the central banks of China and Japan buying up US debt. Currently, there is an intensive US diplomatic effort to keep these two country's in the fold.

There are not sufficient oil reserves in the United States to slate the US's thirst. However much Big Oil funded propaganda would like to imply to the diference.

Right now, the worst thing that could happen to the US is that the Iranian plan for an Oil bourse denominated in Euros.

[DemocracyInaction]

22. Could Haliburton washing it's hands of Iraq in the future be the reason??

Remember Kerry said that if we want Europe to lend a hand in Iraq we had to let them in on the contracts?? Then a bit ago Haliburton said once it fulfilled it's contracts (as in 'get the last quick billions out of them'), they were leaving because Iraq was too unsafe to do business in (ahhhhh...by the by...that should just about explain what a total shit hole Iraq not only is but is going to be forever and a day and put all this rhetoric about the grand elections in real perspective). Anyway, I'll bet he can now go over and say "hey, pardner, we are going to let you in just like you wanted to get contracts and rebuild that glorious paradise we have left for you......oh, and can you help us invade a few more places, supply some warm bodies and help with the money thing 'cause when I have to go to Congress for the next 80 billion wad in about half a year, me and my repub buddies are going to start getting our heads handed to us by our people".

[leesa]

23. Because it's expected. Showboating...see how hard we've tried! See

how reasonable we've been...allowing you to view the Greatest Imperial Leader Ever...before we invade Iran/Syria and then Russia, then India, then China, etc..., etc...poof!

[unblock]

24. remember how he warned that kerry would do exactly this?

i wonder how many people voted for shrub because shrub said kerry would try to curry favor in the halls of europe, exactly what shrub is doing now?

[Disturbed]

27. He is trying to prevent a new alliance...

between Europe, China, Russia, Iran and South America. If all of those go to the Euro the U.S. will be in economic decline.

[autorank]

29. He's practicing what "Jeff" taught him in kinky old Europe.

[ginnyinWI]

30. Um, because he is a

Flip-Flopper!!

[LittleClarkie]

34. Because he and John Kerry were taking a test, and * peeked at K's answer

to the "Iraq's fucked up, now what?" question.

He only had time to copy down "Go to Europe" though.

So he went to Europe. He's not sure why, but the smart guy said it was a good idea. So he went. Ain't doin' no good though. Stoopid smart guy, he ain't so smart.

[Lexingtonian]

37. oh, that's not hard to figure out

Bush is tentatively looking at getting out of Iraq in the next two or three years, but in return for handing over oil concessions and such he wants assent to trying a quick (and probably militarily U.S.-assisted in a small way) coup attempt in Iran. That's probably the reason for the general tour- seeing who's game for that.

But I think the best explanation is to keep Tony Blair from tipping the game in Iraq against the Bushies.

The Republican foreign agenda depends a lot on getting political cover from some respectable governments. This has meant European ones, generally, and European ones that are Right wing-run and imperialist/colonialist in flavor. Unfortunately for Bush, the European Left has gotten on a pretty good run of toppling Right wing governments or, alternatively, forcing them to minimize support for Bush in the past two years.

Poland and Ukraine have pulled back their support for George, Dick, and Rummie's Awesome Middle East Adventure. Spain has gotten out and Portugal is on its way out. Berlusconi and his government in Italy have been loyal but very close to useless to Bush. That has left the British as Bush's last ally of repute and earnest, with Netherlands and Denmark and Norway in Iraq (to appearances) as a favor to and dependent on Britain rather than the U.S.

So it turns out, on close inspection, that support by Tony Blair's government is the linchpin for the Bush Administration's Middle Eastern game internationally- and, on more looking at it, a substantial amount of Bush domestic political support depends on it as well. With his social and economic affairs losers, Bush can't afford losing the majority backing he gets on foreign affairs. (If he does, he has only the supposed superior integrity and capabilities of his people to tout...and we know how long that will last when the public eye turns to that....)

My guess is that Bush got wind (in part via Rice) that Blair is making or has made his campaign decisions- British elections are going to take place in the spring- about Iraq. Blair either has to pledge to stay in until some definite event or pledge to get out of Iraq on a short timetable. The latter is the majority public opinion in Britain. Bush can't afford to have Blair bail out. Blair may or may not be able to afford to be at odds with majority British public opinion.

So Bush absolutely has to keep Blair in line on matters Iraq- it's a wonderful Prisoner's Dilemma game for Blair. Blair has to choose between his best instincts about the British electorate and Bush's pleadings and insistences and pushing of emotional buttons.

I dunno about you, but I can almost hear a clock ticking on Tony Blair and the Bush peoples' machinations in the Middle East. Running down. As it should.

[steve2470]

54. a truly impressive post, thank you ! nt

[Lexingtonian]

55. Blair in decline

This thread with the increasingly bad news in polling for Blair (from the Guardian) appeared last night-

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=191x1989

[CWebster]

40. He looked like classic smirking chimp to me

lecturing with sing-song recitation to a polite but icy cold reception. What an embarassing goof.

[winston61]

42. he's not

this trip is meaningless bullshit. Monkey Boy knows he will have to rely on French intelligence in the Middle East, but that's about it. Bush has no personal objectives, only those that Rove and Cheney tell him he has.

[AlCzervik]

47. it's window dressing, not ass kissing. He doesn't care

what europe thinks about him or us, he doesn't give a shit.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

48. Because he is going to bomb Iran in June n/t

[DuaneBidoux]

52. Because he is f**ked in Iraq and doesn't know what to do.

And he sees NO END to the occupation, or the bills.

[LeahD]

58. He thinks he's mending fences....

He looks like a bumbling idiot to the world.

[opihimoimoi]

60. One aspect might be to look good for the future/ his legacy/ that

he comes across as a leader who travels/is a diplomat.

But I agree with most remarks made here, he is a loser trying hard to look like a winner.

They are all snickering and laughing at him. The ultimate Peter.