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Bush bids farewell but issues remain »

Posted by: SunnyDays 2 months, 1 week ago

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With the US presidential election now moving into high gear, the visit by President George W Bush to the major capitals of western Europe this week, expected to be his valedictory trip, has become something of a sideshow.

Read Full Story at news.bbc.co.uk

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thoughtforsale2 months, 1 week ago

During his presidency, George W. Bush has not managed to continue the close relationship between America and Europe. Sometimes, the common roots with the "old" continent seemed to have vanished completely. When he is doing his farewell tour now, he will not see many honest tears. For most Europeans, his last few month in the White House are only a period to stand somehow, but the interest for American politics is greater than ever. The American people should not feel insulted by the critical view from abroad. It is a characteristic of a real friendship that there are no tabus and no verbal "no-go-areas". You only criticize someone you care for!

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  cushi2 months, 1 week ago
  
  An excellent comment and a very charitable one! Thank you.
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  libsRfunny2 months, 1 week ago
  
  Interesting. Bush remained close with Britain. France's new leader sure doesn't seem to have any problems with him. Neither do Italian and German leaders. Africans adore him.
  
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    UnusualSuspect2 months, 1 week ago
    
    Any truth to the rumor that Bush only has a one-way ticket to Europe?
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      UnusualSuspect2 months, 1 week ago
      
      Libs gave a neg on that, so I guess that rumor was false...
      
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      DukeOhara2 months, 1 week ago
      
      Most likely, a royal one-way ticket straight to hell. 1st class non-stop high-speed couldn't be fast enough nor good enough for him, the Vice President and all their accomplices and partners in crime. Farewell indeed, and a tidy good riddance!
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    NoWayMan2 months, 1 week ago
    
    you need to get out in the world. people hate hate hate bush. I was in India not too long ago and thought I'd see some love for bush since india, being hindu, also has radical muslim problems to deal with.
    but no. they hated bush. to a degree that actually surprised me.
    in south america too. I was in peru and brasil late last year. everyone, to a person, couldn't stand bush.
    and heres the Int'l Herald Tribune's world poll for 2007:
    http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/08/america/...
    Bush's best score internationally was in the United States but still only 36 percent. His worst rating was in France - with 89 percent giving a negative response. 80 percent disapprove of him in Spain and 71 percent in Britain.
    wake up!!
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      saintetienne2 months, 1 week ago
      
      NoWayAreYouAMan,
      Stop worrying about what the rest of the world thinks of us, and focus on your own backyard. France?! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Are you for REAL? France has hated us since the late 18th century. India? They hate the British even more for "destroying" their country (there's a joke). South America? Would that be the same left-leaning, Socialist South America with the 300% inflation rate, the stupefying poverty and the population growth that's out of control?
      Not ONE of these places is a shining example for the United States to follow, or even draw inspiration from. They're a JOKE!! If you think we're supposed to care, and kowtow and cater to them, you're even dumber than I always suspected you were.
      Of course they hate us - we've got all the dough and all the power. Obtained through OUR OWN EFFORTS. They resent that, know they can't match it, and so, like a child, fall back on the easiest solution - - resentment.
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        bluetexasvalley2 months, 1 week ago
        
        Saintetienne: The Ugly American personified. :)
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        saintetienne2 months, 1 week ago
        
        Give YOUR money to ingrates if you feel so inclined. I've grown tired of it.
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        lfergie8122 months, 1 week ago
        
        I feel the same way when Republicans take my money and give it to the super rich. Ingrates indeed. They cannot get enough.
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        NoWayMan2 months, 1 week ago
        
        I didn't bring it up idiot.
        libsRfunny did.
        so I guess all this tripe you just spewed was really meant for libs.
        
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        NoWayMan2 months, 1 week ago
        
        and maybe you should do some research. india's and brasil's economies are ka-booming. the brasilian GDP has more than doubled in the last three years.
        http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.c...
        http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7372443.stm
        sao paulo makes new york look like kindergrarten in terms of size and scope. but you wouldn't know that cause you've never left your basement.
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        kedirian2 months, 1 week ago
        
        "...- we've got all the dough and all the power..."
        When the euro is almost double the dollar, who's got all the dough?
        When China has a 75-billion foreign exchange surplus, who's got all the dough?
        And "all the power" surely was on display for all the world to see (and ROTFLTAO-ing)when that little bantam-rooster, bow-legs and all, strode on the deck of that carrier off the coast of San Diego, crowing "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!"
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        lfergie8122 months, 1 week ago
        
        This saintidiot (if he can change the name of others, he's open game)is so far off that he doesn't realize that Bush has put this country in debt so far that our great grandchildren will not get it paid off. Bush has spent "borrowed" money from other countries on war contractors and it will take decades to pay off his 9 trillion dollar debt.
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      injest2 months, 1 week ago
      
      NoWayMan
      Uhm that poll you cited is nearly a year old. It was conducted from Oct. 3 to 15.
      FTA
      "The survey covered more than 6,000 people in those countries from Oct. 3 to 15 for the international news channel France 24 and the International Herald Tribune"
      
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        NoWayMan2 months, 1 week ago
        
        its the 2007 poll, like I said. they do it once a year.
        the 2006 poll was even slightly worse for bush. and the new poll will be out soon. but I wouldn't expect much difference since attitudes don't change that much over the course of one year. take these boards for example...
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    injest2 months, 1 week ago
    
    Sure is. So went to their site and looked it up.
    As suspected it was an "online" poll. Like AOL polls or any non-scientific, vote early vote often, non random poll.
    But hey if that's the best ya got go with it!
    - This research, commissioned by Telegraph.co.uk, was carried out online between May 23 and 29 by YouGov plc. The total sample was 6,256 (broken down into Britain 2,241; France 1,005; Russia 1,001; Italy 1,004; Germany 1,005).
    
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  Mdiar2 months, 1 week ago
  
  thoughtforsale, I pretty much have to say I totally agree with your assessment. Most Europeans I know don't dislike the United States people at all.
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    Teech2 months, 1 week ago
    
    Totally agree! Having traveled extensively in Italy, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland and the U.K., the vast majority of Europeans realize how close the elections were and that naturally there are half of Americans who "disagreee" with Bush policy. They separate the people of a country from their government.
    ...."expected to be his valedictory trip, has become something of a sideshow."
    Because Dumbya is perceived as a buffoon and a clown.
    It baffles me when a certain segment of our society equates "hate Bush" with "hate America." The exact opposite is true. 99% of Bush haters love this country and simply hate the direction Bush has taken it.
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      Teech2 months, 1 week ago
      
      Same with those who equate political liberalism with "hate America". Again, the exact opposite is true.
      My problem is I have difficulty understanding how approving of a 10 trillion national debt and a war based on lies is "love of America." Those who dissent the loudest appear to love this country the most.
      The ceaseless Neocon propaganda that Dems and those who oppose the war "want America to lose" or "hate their country" has been extremely effective in convincing many people that this lie, like so many other Bush lies, ALSO is true.
      It is not. And no amount of repetition will make it true.
      Had a one day layover in Canada. Didn't want to exchange a bunch of money just to take a tour. I asked if they accept "George Bush toilet paper" and they said that even though it cost them 1%, they accepted my dollars with a laugh and some good natured humor.
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  SUBMRNR2 months, 1 week ago
  
  lol...get over it!
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gamahuche2 months, 1 week ago

FTA
A poll by the UK's Daily Telegraph website in late May showed that in Britain, France, Germany and Russia, more people regarded the United States as a force for evil than for good. Only in Italy did the US fare better.
And Senator Barack Obama was the clear preference (52%) across the five countries to be the next US president.
This indicates that the mood in Europe is one for change, though it remains true that countries of the former Soviet bloc have much more positive views of the Bush administration than those in Western Europe.
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  cushi2 months, 1 week ago
  
  All the Obama haters would do well to take note of this. People like AG, Nixie, Slate, Scrimshaw, Lum-Chate all seem to think that Obama supporters are somehow blind to what they deem "the truth" but there is proof from outside of our ranks that the Bush policies and those who sanction them are out of step and out of touch with the rest of the world.
  I happen to believe very strongly that Obama is the best person to lead the country at this critical juncture for many reasons, and world opinion is not to be scoffed at or taken lightly either.
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    libsRfunny2 months, 1 week ago
    
    "This indicates that the mood in Europe is one for change, though it remains true that countries of the former Soviet bloc have much more positive views of the Bush administration than those in Western Europe.
    Screw Europe. The United States is in North America, not Europe. As for the alleged poll ... who cares?
    Clinton was adored? Clinton amounted to nothing in U.S. politics and has no legacy. Bush was hailed as a hero in Africa, and worked closely with Blair. Sarkozy and other world leaders also seem to have no problems with Bush.
    Gama, I'm going to say it now: you are a fraud by claiming to live in the U.S. and Czechoslovakia at the same time. Claiming to be Czech yet having a representative in Congress. Doesn't work that way.
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      UnusualSuspect2 months, 1 week ago
      
      libs...
      Good to see you adhere to the same policy our fearless leader has...
      "Screw Europe. The United States is in North America, not Europe."
      Luckily, Bush is on his way out, and with Obama coming in January 20, the US will learn a little humility and find out that we're not the sole leader of this planet, but share that responsibility with others.
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      gamahuche2 months, 1 week ago
      
      Wake up!
      There has been no Czechoslovakia since 1st January 1992!
      Of course I haven't lived in the Czech Republic and the US at the same time, nor ever claimed to do so.
      But if schizophrenia fascinates you why not try it?
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  gamahuche2 months, 1 week ago
  
  I thoroughly disagree with the last sentence! Perhaps the leaders are "co-operative" but those present leaders are not greatly loved by the people. The Bush visit to Prague was a PR catastrophe in terms of the man in the street. 10,000 Secret Service Guards, Prague City Centre closed down and not a smidgen of contact with any normal people.
  Roll back the clock to the Clinton visit in 1994.
  Click down on this link till you come to the photo of Clinton, Havel, Albright and Bohumil Hrabal
  http://www.whitebeertravels.co.uk/prague.html#t...
  Not only that but Clinton played his sax at Reduta Jazz Club which was a centre of resistance to Communism.
  Clinton was a hit ; Bush a catastrophe..
  And ask the Queen of England about what he did to her garden and how he frightened the flamingos with his darned helicopter.
  "We are not amused" was her classic response.
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  injest2 months, 1 week ago
  
  "This indicates that the mood in Europe is one for change, though it remains true that countries of the former Soviet bloc have much more positive views of the Bush administration than those in Western Europe."
  Actually this poll reflects the views of people who logged onto the Daily Telegraph web site and volunteered for the poll.
  In other words if your slow or dense, this poll EXCLUDES all Europeans that didn't log on to the Daily Telegraph web site and volunteered for the poll.
  results of a poll by Telegraph.co.uk
  
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    gamahuche2 months, 1 week ago
    
    And of course you realise injest that the Daily Telegraph has the most right-wing readership of any of the British dailies??
    The British right despise bush even more than the traditional working-class left.
    Why?
    Because he has ZERO class, appalling manners and made an absolute idiot out of Tony Blair whose popularity,has declined to round about zero after he had been at one time the most popular post-war Prime Minister.
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jimdoze2 months, 1 week ago

Unspoken anywhere in Europe will be the fabulously successful result of American foresight and force that began in WWII and is bearing benefits beyond measure today... that is the European Union. Since disdain for America, things American and American foreign policy is part of the glue that holds it together, so much the better! I can live with it, since we no longer need to send our military to die by the hundreds of thousands to clean up the messes that Europe's ethnic and international strife once caused.
I would add that leadership by public opinion poll, whether national or international, is not what I am looking for in a president.

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nikkibabe2 months, 1 week ago

85% of Europeans and almost 90% of British believe that USA under Bush was the biggest threat to world peace. They cite the violence and humanitarian crisis in Iraq.
Congratulations to Bush, Rice, Cheney and the chipmunks who were re-elected by a dumb electorate in 2004.
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  saintetienne2 months, 1 week ago
  
  "85% of Europeans and almost 90% of British believe that USA under Bush was the biggest threat to world peace. They cite the violence and humanitarian crisis in Iraq."
  Let's see proof of those numbers.
  Then, after you provide proof, please insert the following statement: "Who gives a rip?!"
  
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    UnusualSuspect2 months, 1 week ago
    
    Well, actually, saint, people who would like our world to calm down a bit, those interested in peace in general, are the ones who, in your words, give a "rip".
    Does that mean you don't care about peace at all? You just like to see the world in perpetual chaos?
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      saintetienne2 months, 1 week ago
      
      I got news for you, Unused Sunspecks. The world has always been chaotic, is chaotic, and will continue to be chaotic.
      The United States is not the one causing the chaos. I don't believe I've read about people being beaten and burned alive, like they are in South Africa. We don't have a totalitarian dictator as leader, who won't allow relief food shipments in after a devastating cyclone, as they do in Myanmar. We don't have a president who arrests the CEOs of oil companies for no reason, puts them in jail and assumes control of the oil industry, like in Venezuela. We do not have a government suppressing people's freedom of speech, like they are in Russia. We have no desire to wipe out the state of Israel because they're Jewish, like Iran would like to do. We do not have starving, AIDS-stricken people dying in the streets as Darfur and Somalia does.
      Cuba... Haiti... Nigeria... Kosovo... Do I need to go on?
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        saintetienne2 months, 1 week ago
        
        CONT.
        My point is that the U.S. has provided aid, money, medicine, food and technology - at OUR expense - to all these places and more. We get nothing in return except hatred, death threats and "America....ptooey!".
        So I - and I believe many others in this country - have reached the point of: "Who gives a rip?!" They don't want our presence in their lousy, stinkhole countries? Good, I say. Let them all figure their own problems out.
        And if you believe the world is ever going to be the sunshiny, butterfly-filled utopia where everyone joins hands and sings "Kumbaya", you need to get out more. This world was a mess long, LONG before the United States even existed, and it will continue to be a mess into perpetuity. America is one of the un-messiest places on the planet, so kick back, have a glass of California wine and chill. Let the rest of the world worry about itself.
        
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        UnusualSuspect2 months, 1 week ago
        
        Overall, I agree with some of your sentiments...
        Like I've said in many other posts, I think the US gets way too involved in the rest of the world's problems, and we try to solve them all, which of course is impossible, and sometimes none of our business. If we're not appreciated by others in this world for the help we give them, so what? A large part of helping and giving to others is just knowing we did help; having them appreciate it shouldn't be a concern.
        Yes, the world is in chaos, and always will be. And no, we can't solve all it's problems, nor should we try.
        The trick is knowing when to help, and when to not to, who to help, and who not to, and why we help, and maybe, why we shouldn't. That's all for a greater mind than mind to figure out.
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        wtagg2 months, 1 week ago
        
        Then why do we keep trying to assert our influence with money, aid, military hardware, etc... if we don't give a rip?
        A lot of rhetoric, but your analysis only shows us playing both sides of a game that returns nothing to us. How is that conservative?
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        kedirian2 months, 1 week ago
        
        The richly deserved praise and gratitude of a continent torn apart by strife became the America of our fathers and grandfathers!
        Milking that gratitude and praise have led our fathers' and grandfathers'CHILDREN to accept the role of World Leaders with unbecoming arrogance!
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nikkibabe2 months, 1 week ago

85% of Europeans and almost 90% of British believe that USA is the biggest threat to world peace under Bush. They cite the violence and humanitarian crisis in Iraq.
Congratulations to all the electorate who re-elected Bush and his chipmunks in 2004.
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  Mdiar2 months, 1 week ago
  
  The majority of Europe favors closer relations with the United States in a fairly recent poll.
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    rightfromwrong2 months, 1 week ago
    
    Bull...only idiots would like closer ties to war mongerers. The EU is a result of the Bilderberg's consolidating their power
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      Mdiar2 months, 1 week ago
      
      This was a poll of the European population conducted by Gallup. Unfortunately, I'm unable to find the poll at this time. Gallup seems to have erased it... I know I've posted a link to it once or twice here before and can even remember the general trend. France was the odd country out who disliked closer relations with the US. The rest of Europe favored it rather strongly and that also backs the feeling I get from people from Europe.
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  injest2 months, 1 week ago
  
  Nikkibabe
  The ORGINAL title of the article and opening.
  America is a global force for good
  Last Updated: 3:01pm BST 30/05/2008
  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?x...
  The United States played an important and positive global role in the 20th century, and continues to do so in this century
  Its willingness to dig into its pockets in the fight against terrorism, and to support liberal democracy in the Middle East, are important when too often other powers prefer to close their eyes. America's actions undoubtedly make the world a more peaceful and stable place. Its support for economic globalisation promotes global prosperity and encourages international co-operation.
  
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    saintetienne2 months, 1 week ago
    
    Good points, injest. But you're wasting your time with nikki"babe". That Swedish hag is ten meatballs short of a smorgasbord.
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      injest2 months, 1 week ago
      
      "Good points, injest. But you're wasting your time with nikki"babe". That Swedish hag is ten meatballs short of a smorgasbord."
      Oh I see. So the 80 to 90% she claims are just the "other voices" in her head?
      That explains a lot
      
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Bristolfashions2 months, 1 week ago

The pain that is contributing in my chain of tragedy is that, The bill of Right is changed with bill of fear by few who used U. S Constitution for imaginary wealth and power. The garden of Adam is not materialistic piece of land. Thus
We believe that one day God will bless wisdom of love to those who are unconscious of realty .The festival of life can be celebrated with wisdom of human faith knowledge once we realize that we are part of the human race. It advocates spiritual and moral principles on very high scales for the longest term in human history. Human faith is Adam's and Abraham's monotheistic faith and know that God is the creator and overseer of the universe .
IN GOD WE TRUST WE HAVE FAITH IN HUMANITY.
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Rayman2 months, 1 week ago

Bush's 'farewell' trip to Europe is nothing but a waste of tax payers money. Basically, Bush is trying to log in some last minutes frequent flyer miles before he heads to his retirement home in Crawford, Texas. Bush never liked Europe and they detest him. So, the feeling is mutual! Instead of staying in DC to resolve energy crisis and the Iraq war, Bush is waving his 'big stick' to Europe as a sign of disrespect and lack of diplomacy. This man has lived on a different planet than the rest of the world. He is so out of touch with reality that he really believes his own bull**it! Here is an idea. Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz, Rice, Rumsfeld and Rove ought to move to Iraq as construction workers to rebuild what they destroyed!!!
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  rightfromwrong2 months, 1 week ago
  
  Let there be some justice!!!!
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  kedirian2 months, 1 week ago
  
  Sorry, Rayman, they couldn't even build a thing with Lego-blocks!
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hamy2 months, 1 week ago

I wish I were there to spit on him as he passed by. He has caused nothing but pain and suffering for the entire world. Mussolini and Hitler are remembered for the terrible things that they did. Bush will as well.
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  simonsez2 months, 1 week ago
  
  I thought you might be a spitter ...
  
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    hamy2 months, 1 week ago
    
    Well...I have had to swallow a lot over the last 7 years.
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      saintetienne2 months, 1 week ago
      
      hamy,
      Leave all your ex-boyfriends' emissions out of this. We're trying to have a political discussion here.
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        simonsez2 months, 1 week ago
        
        You hit the trifecta down below on that one, saint ...
        Nice job.
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hefaa12 months, 1 week ago

Leave the British out of this, first we drag em' into the Iraqi War, now Madonna over there and thinks she's British.
Haven't these people suffered enough?
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Tcaros2 months, 1 week ago

He's absolutely the worst president.
Some think Bush is tanking the economy so the next administration will be too busy with the economics to bother with investigating the rampant corruption trail.
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kedirian2 months, 1 week ago

This would be one for dramaturgists!
How does a bad actor gracefully exits a skunk of a play....
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Tango572 months, 1 week ago

I just talked to someone from Sweden this last week-end and they commented that Europeans hate the Bush administration. They feel the same frustrations as the average american. What surprises them most is that Americans voted for him twice, thus, "the ugly american" evolved.
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nikkibabe2 months, 1 week ago

They should detain Bush in Netherlands and try him for war crimes and crimes against humanity in The International Court of Justice.
At least Hitler had the courage to commit suicide. This jack Ass moves around as if people like him. All of Europe would rejoice after he leaves and sing 'GOOD RIDDANCE'.
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SUBMRNR2 months, 1 week ago

Issues...Issues...bless you!
p.s. how far do you think we point the blame...
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