Quote:
Originally posted by Hubris Boy
Which international relationships could you be talking about? .... Relations with Russia have improved markedly of late. ... Saudi Arabia's shaky, but that's due more to internal dissatisfaction with the House of Saud than anything explicit that we've done. We continue to piss off most of the rest of the Arab world by apologizing for everything that Israel does, but that's not unique to this administration.
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Others have demonstrated how badly Geroge Jr has soured international relations. I will add more examples. We had great relations with Russia until George Jr soured them. Because he has fixed some of his damage, you then conclude they are at their best? Myopia is looking at history only 3 months previous. Russian relations are only approaching what they used to be under Clinton because Geroge Jr so soured those relationships.
As for the Middle East, again a myopic viewpoint. The 'man on the street' opinion soured everywhere in the Middle east. Even Al Jezzera (the equivalent of CNN) which is encouraged under Clinton to be open and honest is finding itself threatened with censurship by the Geroge Jr administration. This attempt to censur is widely acknowledged throughout the Middle East. IOW George Jr has played directly into a bin Laden concept - that America wants to dominate the Middle East for its oil. Any yet one would myopically say all is OK because we are not in confrontation with Sudia Arabia? Do you listen to what the president of Egypt, the crown prince of Saudia Arabia or even Malaysia is saying? Last time US relations in the Middle East got this bad is when Reagan foolishly sent the New Jersey to shell arab positions in Lebanon.
Bottom line is that US international relationships with every major country has been severely strained by George Jr. - starting right off with his embarrassment of the Chancellor of Germany. Geroge Jr is strongly contributing to the destruction of the Oslo Accords and UN Resolution 242 which as also based upon the Fundamental Declaration of Human Rights. Human Rights? George, Jr in Middle East eyes violates that daily with his support and encouragment of one defined by the entire world as an enemy of Human Rights - Ariel Sharon. Sharon could only do so with George Jr's approval - as far as the entire Middle East is concerned.
Throughtout the world, too many are making valid claims that the US now acts unilaterally. Unilaterally? Yes, George Jr has so soured another world opinion of the US. That is also what Sec of State Powell has warned. Did you read the NY Times article cited elsewhere. This administration is actually considering unilateral action against Iraq! No responsible administration would give such actions serious consideration. But then this is a president without any international or domestic policital experience. So inexperienced as to almost destroy a Chinese relationship that China so desperaterately wanted to perserve.
Yes, White House actions during the spy plane incident were so irresponsible as to nearly destroy a relationship with another country that desperately did not want such political damage to happen. George Jr has so soured international relations that Tony Blair had to perform the international negotiations after 11 Sept. George Jr did not have the credibility.