Bush targets foes in Mideast democracy speech

[gristy]

Bush duplicity is nailed by MSNBC

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 - President George W. Bush, relaunching a U.S. campaign for Arab democracy on Thursday, gave more weight to traditional alliances than to any scale of democratic values, according to analysts and Arab diplomats.

Bush reserved his strongest criticism for Syria and Iran, the latter widely seen as one of the region's more democratic states, while praising conservative monarchies -- notably Saudi Arabia and Kuwait -- whose leaders never face the ballot box.

Middle East expert Shibley Telhami noted that Bush, while emphasizing the political rights of women in the Arab world, had kind words for Kuwait, where women cannot vote. Iranian and Syrian women have had the vote for decades.

http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters11-06-144243.asp?reg=MIDEAST

[HawkerHurricane]

1. Pro US dictatorships/monarchies good!

Democracies bad!

Can't let The People choose there own leaders, they might choose someone who will affect the bottom line...

[Voltaire99]

2. Imagining Bush's second term...

Democracy, eh? I rather expect something like this instead:

Revive the draft, with numerous exemptions for white upper middle class citizens. Offer shortened prison sentences for military service.

Invade Syria, with Israeli help.

Cripple Iran with sanctions, following the 90s Bush-Clinton Iraq strategy (softening up for invasion under President Jeb Bush in 2008).

Secure Venezeula's oil.

"Liberate" Cuba.

Patriot Act II and III.

"Preventive detention" for opposition activists.

Commence ANWAR drilling after tying oil rights to emergency bank and mortgage foreclosure relief.

And so on...