Bush under fire on Iraq at UN

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030923/pl_afp/un&cid=1521&ncid=1473

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - US President George W. Bush came under fire over the Iraq war as UN Secretary General Kofi Annan blasted US policy in front of nearly 200 world leaders at the United Nations.

Just before Bush took the podium, Annan drew applause from the General Assembly as he said that the Bush doctrine of 'pre-emptive' war -- like that waged on Iraq -- was a threat to global peace and security.

"This logic represents a fundamental challenge to the principles on which, however imperfectly, world peace and stability have rested for the last 58 years," since the UN's creation, he said in opening the UN's annual debate.

"The last 12 months have been painful for those of us who believe in collective answers to our common problems and challenges," Annan said.

more

[Skittles]

1. with all due respect to Mr. Annan

the pain has been going on for far longer than the past 12 months. :(

[Selwynn]

2. Still though...

I have a great deal of respect for the man... I appreciate the brave honesty.

Especailly right before Bush's speech in which he is to maintain that he was right all along...

[wtmusic]

3. He's talking specifically about Bush flouting the UN Charter

His speech was right on the money.

[Paschall]

4. Sounds like Chirac got in at least one backhand

<snip> "It is not enough to denounce unilateralism unless we also face up squarely to the concerns that make some states feel uniquely vulnerable and thus drive them to take unilateral action," he said. </snip>

Isn't that a polite way of saying, "Let's extend a caring hand to Bush, because he's afraid of looking like a wimp?"

At some point the White House's fear campaign is more than just calculated propaganda. Since it feeds Shrub's sense of "mission," I suspect he finds it titillating. Didn't he pump his fist in the air as the invasion began and exclaim, "Feels good!"

[samsingh]

5. he did indeed

does it still feel good Shrub?

[WilliamPitt]

7. Considering all the shit we've thrown at France of late

It was a hell of a nice thing to say.

[lindashaw]

13. France has paid big-time dues in this world, and they've tried to...

be our friends. They've tried to keep us from making some of the mistakes they've made. The Statue of Liberty wouldn't be there, except for France. Frankly, I think we've treated them very shabbily.

[Fridays Child]

8. Maybe he's saying that the UN should send troops to the US.

Well, at the very least, we could use some UN elections monitors.

[underpants]

6. Annan" ...those of us who believe in collective answers ..."

"The last 12 months have been painful for those of us who believe in collective answers to our common problems and challenges."

Expect the Repube pundits to jump all over that one. Proof , they will say, of a "one wrold government"/socialism.

[Neutrino]

10. What scares me most about Bush--

is that the basis of his actions as World Leader of the #1 Superpower
is a set of religious beliefs that are the Christian equivalent of
the Taliban. That "mission" is shared by AG Ashcroft, and C. Rice,
who exchanges email with set of whacko tv evangelists in Canada that
are right out of a loony bin. What the hell has happened to this
country, and how the hell are Democrats going to fix it.

[underpants]

9. Micronesia is going after W on global warming

"those bearing the responsibilities must take the leadership in solving it....Mr.President I have to ask you Where is that leadersip?"

[Richardo]

11. Bush to Micronesia: "Who cares what you think?"

What a statesman...

[LosinIt]

12. Annan's words lost on Bush, too many syllables

I honestly don't think he is intellectually capable of understanding diplomatic speech.

[lindashaw]

14. But the rest of the world surely did get it. I don't think Bush will get

more than a token gesture of a few dollars, do you?

[Merlin]

16. Annan knows Bush is beyond redemption. He was speaking to the world.

He was laying down a challenge he knew Bush could not meet; a challenge to articulate the solution to the dilemma Bush's own preemptive doctrine has created in the civilized world. Bush is not only incapable of doing so, he is incapable of grasping the dilemma itself.

[mainer]

15. Bush wasn't even polite enough to listen to Chirac's speech

Bush left immediately after his speech and didn't stay to hear Chirac, who spoke right after him. What a jerk.