US News
Bush to discuss Afghanistan, dollar on European trip
Jun 9, 2008, 15:35 GMT
Brdo, Slovenia - US President George W Bush was due in Europe on Monday for a week-long trip that was expected to stress trans-Atlantic friendship rather than differences over issues such as climate change, trade and foreign policy.
First on the schedule was Slovenia, where Bush was to meet European Union leaders for an annual EU-US summit Tuesday at a lush, secluded luxury resort outside the capital Ljubljana.
The meeting at Brdo Castle marks a high point for Slovenia, whose stint as president of the European Union ends on June 30.
Diplomats said the summit was expected to produce a joint declaration focusing on 'the entire scope of trans-Atlantic cooperation.' This would include global security, trans-Atlantic trade, climate change and energy.
But on top of divisions over a post-Kyoto deal on global warming, diplomats also predicted tough talks on the US's refusal to include all EU member states in its visa waiver programme, as well as an EU ban on the import of US poultry washed in chlorine.
Bush said he planned to raise the issue of Afghanistan, where the US has been pressing European nations to supply more combat troops for the NATO-led security force.
'Got a lot of work to do in Afghanistan,' he said Monday at the White House before leaving for Europe. 'The countries I'm going to have committed troops to Afghanistan, and, of course, want to thank them, and remind them there's a lot of work to be done.'
Bush also signalled that he planned to reassure Europeans about the US economy and the dollar, which has tumbled to record lows against the euro this year. As he spoke, the euro reached a six-week high of 1.5845 dollars.
'I'll talk about our nation's commitment to a strong dollar,' he said. 'A strong dollar is in our nation's interests. It is in the interests of the global economy.'
A number of European governments have fretted about the weakness of the dollar, fearing that it will hurt exports.
Visa-free travel to the US has also become a source of friction with the EU this year after Washington sidestepped Brussels and made bilateral deals with a few EU members in eastern Europe.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU commissioner in charge of handling the bloc's external relations, said she would be 'listening eagerly for confirmation that several further EU member states are to be brought into the US visa waiver programme this year.'
'It is only right that citizens of all the US's EU allies be given the opportunity to travel visa-free across the Atlantic,' she said.
Currently, only citizens from old EU member states - except Greece - can travel to the US without a visa.
Other topics up for discussion in Slovenia include the Middle East peace process and rising food and oil prices.
'The current oil and food price rises show how important the EU-US cooperation is at a global level,' said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in a statement Monday.
The two sides were also expected to confront each other on how to respond to Iran's nuclear ambitions ahead of a planned visit to Tehran by the EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana.
And Russia's growing assertiveness in Eastern Europe was to be tackled during a debate on the European prospects of the Caucasus and of the Western Balkans.
Bush was due to arrive in the Slovenian capital at around 9 pm (1900 GMT), accompanied by his wife Laura and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Tuesday's summit was due to be preceded by meetings between Bush and Slovenia's president and prime minister.
The US president was then due to travel to Berlin as part of his final tour of European capitals before he leaves the White House in January.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
'Bush to discuss Afghanistan, dollar on European trip'. Oh great he is going to discuss two things he has no absolutely no idea on how to fix. Makes one feel warm and fuzzy.
Another photo op and paid trip for Bush and Laura and more opportunities for him to cement everyone's opinion of his questionable intelligence.
'ah hav t say, ak'll miss cumin t' Eyur ope afta ah'm out o office. Ah doo so' luv cumin heah!...es pecially thim croy sants...'
'n ministah...ah knoow y' been messin y' drawers abooout th dollah...oh god...quit ya crahin nooow...oh fer god sakes....quiet ya goddamn pussah!...seein a man crayah is sicnin....well, cept fer ol Hirrah Reid..it's kind atouchin, ya knoow?
'Jeeesusaah cheerahst boyh...what'd ya think?...ah wuz gonna mess MAYHAH drawers r sumpin?...sheeit boyh..goona tahke moore thin that...haell...ah got a 29% approval ratin an STILL git mayah legislation passed!...ol dick shot a feller an he's still around....well most o th tahme anyways...'
'N' listen ministah...ye git oout thire and drop that prahme rate o yurs sum, an whin ya do...ah'll cum in an buy up some dollahs o yurs! Yep, ah'll hep ya boyh!....ah'll git ya sum o thim cap an trades y' lahke s' much too...nooo, thim goddamn dems cin't dee livah...din't ya jes see thit last week?...well, best t th familee, hope thim raghaeds don't burn no more cars or sumpin...an be sure t smahle fer the pho to op!'
More from the sideshow! It's too late for Bush to try to rack up some points for his presidency!
At least we didn't send him over there; it was at his own bidding. I personally don't want him representing me.
ESS PEE, you are the only person who can answer my questions correctly, all the others are just muck-rakers and I want the truth.
The following shocking allegations have been made against John McCain and if true are dreadful cowardly crimes for a future President to have comitted.
1) Did his Daddy really pay the Gooks a fortune in US dollars so his
precious son could stay in the Hanoi Hilton in luxury and be treated
like royaly for the rest of the war ? A privileged private suite.
Whilst other prisoners were brutally treated and locked up in
bamboo cages ?
2) Was he really a 'Hanoi Songbird' who denounced his country to get
preferential treatment ? A traitor !
Many men are SO brave when having a gun, but become spineless
yellow cowards without one and just captors puppets.
3) Is he really a hero, or just another airman amongst thousands, but
has been painted as a hero by dear Daddies paid-for propaganda ?
If these allegations are true, then this man is a despicable coward
and not worthy of becoming President. Even I, would rather see Obama as President than a spineless military coward. Point 2) should be a firing squad offence and is in some countries.
Refer reply to TEX
March for Nationalization of Oil in Los Angeles, California
----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------
An organized March will be announced with dates and times to display signage that demands that the US Congress pass a law under the threat of National Security to seize control of all oil refining property and accounts in the USA and abroad. This Military action is necessary in order to restore price reduction to the consumer to 1973 levels. Saudi Arabia and any other Opec interests will also be placed on notice. The American Republic will make CHANGE unlike OBAMA claims or McCain!
Hey europeans, as much as you seem to hate the US, keep in mind-we go down, you'll probably go down with us. Now if you don't have a pot to p--- in you probably won't mind. As for Mccain, I'd be willing to bet he did 'sing like a canary' and I can't blame a soul that does under torture. However I do distrust a 'singer' that becomes totally anti-torture because of his singing. I will however vote for the man because he won't tax me to death and I've given up on a true American hero running in this race.
Just remember - talk is cheap. Don't believe everything you hear or is promised.
I know precisely how cheap talk is.
Gee.....does that mean I shouldn't believe everything I read on this site?
Here he goes again, screwing up another issue.
What`s the matter ? Has the little Texas turd lost all trust in that black female globetrotter of his ?
You know, the one who piddles around all over the place trying to look pretty - an impossible task for the likes of her - at enormous expense to the taxpayer, doing absolutely bugger all but upsetting just about everybody.
Can`t remember that stupid name ? Oh I know Condomlooser Rice. What a nightmare ! How on earth did her parents come up with that crap from the millions of other names available ?
While I was not there, I have read, extensively, and none of that was mentioned,...then again, it wasn't cruising freaky-deaky websites...
besides - proving him guilty is someone else's job, right?
I went to school with a guy who got a purple heart for getting hit by an army truck, but you do NOT get a DFC for being a lousy, dumbf--k pilot, end of story. If you qualify to fly off the deck of ANY carrier, you are not GW Bush in Louisiana....get my drift? After all, if you are a crappy navy attack pilot...in Vietnam...1n 1966...you are probably already dead.
McCain, in his book (ever read it? ever read anything in print?) even recounts signing n.viet docs due to torture, a practice many had done, and they are not traitors either.
He, correctly states he was treated for his injuries and offered special treatment, and refused early release, a fact not contested.
Nonetheless, he was tortured and spent a year in solitary, another fact not contested.
That said...go find one credible witness, who was there, with him. All the one's who have already given testimony, such has Col. Geo. Day, have nothing but praise for him...and he was THERE.
One credible source...and that would exclude Dan Rather.
Kathy's a little touchy today. I would hope most people would believe very little posted here - it's very possiblly for some people's entertainment.....or at least sometimes it can be entertaining enough to say LOL! Now let's hope Bush doesn't make more screw ups on this trip.
Thanks, your reply is logically acceptable. A kind of 'common sense' approach. I`ll buy that.
I do read things in print, oh divine one - I read your reply did`nt I ?
Was geschah, als Obama seinen Stammbaum nachschlug?
Eine Gorilla-Scheiße auf seinem Gesicht!
Kathy must learn to dissociate the attitude euopeans have towards bush from the attitude we have towards the usa .She is right,if the USA goes down,we all go don .Such is the nature of global economy that the fate of all coubtries is linked .What is not linked however is the fate of big corporate business ,always eager to move to which ever country offering the best conditions of exploitation to them .Patriotism isd not part of their ethics,unless it sels at big profit.Doeyou think any big company has trouble investing in China because it is not deomocratic,or supposed to be communist ?Not really they are queuing up in order to close their plants in the USA or Europe for that matter as long as they can profir from the situation of cheap labor costsin China.The weakness of the dollar had had no possitive influence on the trade deficit of the USA,it has not boosted exports,it has not helped create employment .
To me it makes sense to look at oil as a strategic ressource,and indeed nationalize the production in order to control the price ?.What makes no sense whatsoever id fighting wars in foreign counries like Iraq over oil leaving the oil tycooons with all the profits and the american people with the trillions of dollar bill to pay .Anybody seeing logic in that must either be brainwashed or suffer a serious malfunction of the brain.
europe and the USA have enough in common not to be divided by the neocon suppremacists claiming your country to be the leader of the world,free to start pre-emptive wars on false pretence,it has not brought the american people any advantage at all,except for those retarded rhat lack a spine a massively inflated ego.People like SP4 find the reason of their poor existence in claiming they invented the internet,the telephone,etc,etc.He invented nothing,freed the world of nothing but needs tis emprty talk to fill an existence void of thrills with something to brag about.Not my cup of tea excactly.
Kathy must learn to dissociate the attitude euopeans have towards bush from the attitude we have towards the usa .
sp4 - so should you, Tonny.
She is right,if the USA goes down,we all go don
sp4 - not nbecessarily
.Such is the nature of global economy that the fate of all coubtries is linked .What is not linked however is the fate of big corporate business ,always eager to move to which ever country offering the best conditions of exploitation to them .
sp4 - yes, they do, just ask Bill Crinton
Patriotism isd not part of their ethics,unless it sels at big profit.Doeyou think any big company has trouble investing in China because it is not deomocratic,or supposed to be communist ?Not really they are queuing up in order to close their plants in the USA or Europe for that matter as long as they can profir from the situation of cheap labor costsin China.The weakness of the dollar had had no possitive influence on the trade deficit of the USA,it has not boosted exports,it has not helped create employment .
sp4 - actually, not true. free trade is a winner
To me it makes sense to look at oil as a strategic ressource,and indeed nationalize the production in order to control the price ?.
sp4 - europe HAS oil nationalization and the prices are STILL even higher than in America...so...how's THAT working out, so far?
What makes no sense whatsoever id fighting wars in foreign counries like Iraq over oil leaving the oil tycooons with all the profits and the american people with the trillions of dollar bill to pay .
sp4 - why? the oil comppaines never started the war. In fact, by your logic, we'd owe THEM for f--king up a prefectly good relationship. we were getting the oil BEFORE the war.
Anybody seeing logic in that must either be brainwashed or suffer a serious malfunction of the brain.
sp4 - sea above, I could not agree more
europe and the USA have enough in common not to be divided by the neocon suppremacists claiming your country to be the leader of the world,free to start pre-emptive wars on false pretence,it has not brought the american people any advantage at all,except for those retarded rhat lack a spine a massively inflated ego.
sp4 - better read todays news...i t looks like they came around to Bush's way of thinking
People like SP4 find the reason of their poor existence in claiming they invented the internet,the telephone,etc,etc.He invented nothing,freed the world of nothing but needs tis emprty talk to fill an existence void of thrills with something to brag about.Not my cup of tea excactly.
sp4 - we never invented tea. I never said I invented anything, Tonny, except maybe a simple algorythm for valve control, that is not patented. The USA has produced many inventions, like the one above...
which has nothing to do with the article
How is it NOT front-page worthy that a sitting president of the United States had 35 articles of impeachment brought against him yesterday?
How is it NOT newsworthy that phase II of the Senate Intelligence Report regarding the runup to the Iraqi occupation was released yesterday, finding that the Bush administration actually DID exaggerate and manipulate intelligence information to garner support for the occupation??
Your comments are brief, true, extremely important and concise - a credit to these pages, where people write enormously long pieces of utter crap which nobody reads except SP4 and that little prick Tonny from Belgium.
Well done !
We all know the war was a personal Presidential circus act. Not about, Saddam, weapons or terrorists, but about OIL and killing thousands of young American soldiers, many of them conscripted to die early from their families, jobs and happy American life.
The little Texas murdering pig.
'Your comments are brief, true, extremely important and concise - a credit to these pages,'
Too bad they are 1)Spam and 2)Wrong.
'How is it NOT front-page worthy that a sitting president of the United States had 35 articles of impeachment brought against him yesterday?'
Because he didn't. Kucinich doesn't have a case and they know it.
' finding that the Bush administration actually DID exaggerate and manipulate intelligence information to garner support for the occupation??'
Because that is not what it said. The New York Sun's editorial board notes that Rockefeller deliberately manipulated data for his committee's report to support the 'Bush Lied' BS:
Mr. Rockefeller decided to exclude a handwritten note from the CIA's terrorism analyst of the Mr. Bush's 2002 speech in Cincinnati on the eve of the Congressional vote authorizing the war saying the paragraphs about Iraq and terrorism were 'all-Okay.' Wrote Senators Bond, Chambliss, Hatch, and Burr in an addendum to the report: 'Apparently the majority did not think this was something the public needed to know since they denied our request to include it and did not allow a vote on the amendment offered to fix this shortcoming.'
www.nysun.com/editorials/the-senates-intelligence/79553/?print=70751031 21
EVEN STILL:
Fred Hiatt in the Washington Post:
But dive into Rockefeller's report, in search of where exactly President Bush lied about what his intelligence agencies were telling him about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, and you may be surprised by what you find.
On Iraq's nuclear weapons program? The president's statements 'were generally substantiated by intelligence community estimates.'
On biological weapons, production capability and those infamous mobile laboratories? The president's statements 'were substantiated by intelligence information.'
On chemical weapons, then? 'Substantiated by intelligence information.'
On weapons of mass destruction overall (a separate section of the intelligence committee report)? 'Generally substantiated by intelligence information.' Delivery vehicles such as ballistic missiles? 'Generally substantiated by available intelligence.' Unmanned aerial vehicles that could be used to deliver WMDs? 'Generally substantiated by intelligence information.'
Hiatt also brings up Rockefeller's own inconvenient quote from October 2002:
'There has been some debate over how 'imminent' a threat Iraq poses. I do believe Iraq poses an imminent threat. I also believe after September 11, that question is increasingly outdated. . . . To insist on further evidence could put some of our fellow Americans at risk. Can we afford to take that chance? I do not think we can.'
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/08/AR200806080168 7.html
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SP4: hey TonnyJun 9th, 2008 - 17:23:17
See above about Euro ministers commenting on q weak dollar hurting exports...
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