Bush and Brown vow co-operation - We have another poodle

[NNN0LHI]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6922840.stm

US President George W Bush and UK PM Gordon Brown have held their first formal talks, renewing pledges to fight terrorism and seek progress in Iraq.

Mr Brown said both nations had duties and responsibilities in Iraq, and that he would seek military advice before announcing any changes in policy.

The pair met at Camp David, near Washington, amid widespread interest about whether they could work together. snip

On Iraq, Mr Brown said any recommendation on the future role of the UK's 5,500 troops in Iraq could be put to parliament after British MPs return to work in October after a summer break.

That would leave any decision on UK troop levels until after a final report on the US "surge" in Iraq by Mr Bush's commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus.

[SoCalDem]

1. Poodle² how quaint.. n/t

[dipsydoodle]

2. I guess George was just training him

[roamer65]

3. Amazing...this will mean something I thought I'd never see in Britain.

The next government will be a Conservative gov't that has to very distinctly distance itself from the US.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

4. It's that irresistible Simian charm

No human on earth can resist the seductive allure and the animal magnetism of Chimp.

[UKProPeace]

5. Hmmm, not sure about a Bush poodle

This is an interesting article:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/07/30/democrats_see_brown.html

"In some ways, Brown, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer has more experience in America than Blair did before he took office. He has vacationed on Cape Cod, counts such disparate figures as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers as friends and is reported to be fascinated by American history and politics.

But it is Brown's association with Shrum that has provoked perhaps the most murmuring in British political circles. Shrum's background as a more traditional liberal, closely aligned with Ted Kennedy, has been taken as a sign that perhaps Brown is looking to depart from the "Third Way" politics that defined Clinton and Blair. And Shrum's notable lack of success at the presidential level has provoked grumbling among some Brits that Brown might have found just the strategist to help lead Labour back to the wilderness from which it came before Blair.

Shrum himself is offering no clues about his relationship or advice to Brown. Contacted Sunday, Shrum declined an invitation to talk about Brown. "He's a friend," he said, "and I don't do press interviews about him.""

[NNN0LHI]

6. You should have seen the press conference

He was wearing a Hartz flea-collar.

Don

[EFerrari]

8. Oh,no.

:rofl:

[UKProPeace]

12. Caught a bit of it

The body language did not indicate the closeness similar to that of Blair/Bush.....Plus, someone's obviously been leaking like mad over here hinting about possible withdrawals.

As I said elsewhere though I am looking for a video of it now, so will have a good look at it....from all I know about Brown so far I know that he's a clever man, definitely not to be underestimated (Remember, Brown's played the waiting game here successfully, strategically and wisely with Blair, if reports were to be believed allowing friends to leak reports out on Blair several times, and he still managed to keep his job, because he became more popular than his boss), my own opinion at the moment is that he is just playing out time with the Bush regime.

There was a documentary shown here a while ago, Brown is a big strategic player, he thinks about things for a long time, no one who saw that documentary would describe Brown as a poodle.

Did you watch the body language? Did you hear Brown referring to Bush in friendly tones, as Bush did towards Brown? If my perceptions are correct, and I sincerely hope they are, then you'll find Brown is definitely not Bush's poodle.

[LeftishBrit]

14. Hope you're right!

I think you may be; Broon does not seem to be as personally devoted to Bush as Tony B. was. All British PMs have to make the right 'special relationship' noises; but not all will drag us into the wars of a Mad King. E.g. Wilson was polite to American presidents, but he did not drag Britain into Vietnam.

I will certainly be furiously disappointed if Gordon does become another Bush-poodle. Tony was such a bitter disappointment to all the voters who thought he was finally rescuing us from the Tories.

[UKProPeace]

15. Brown's always seemed a bit "Wilsonian"

Leftish in some ways, I guess we'll have to see what happens...My guess so far is he won't be any more right wing than Blair, if he betrays the wishes of the British people he knows that there will be others waiting to pounce just as he once did....just my own take mind you, but it seems logical to think that way at the moment doesn't it? I'll also be desperately disappointed if I turn out to be wrong by the way, I NEVER supported Blair, people have always told me i'm a good judge of character, I hope i'm not wrong this once.

[EFerrari]

7. Welcome to DU, UkProPeace.

:)

[UKProPeace]

13. Hi and thanks sfexpat :) eom

[bigtree]

9. meet the new boss

same . . .

[CJCRANE]

10. Not so fast...

I noticed in Brown's speech that he complimented America and shared values, he didn't mention * at all.

Shrub of course just spouted his usual empty platitudes.

[NNN0LHI]

11. Did he say He was going to pull British troops out of Iraq like the British people have demanded?

No. He is going to wait and see what General Betrayus says before commenting in October. As if we don't know what Gen. Betrayus is going to say?

Don

[VP505]

16. If it turns

out that Brown is another "Poodle" he won't be PM for long, that was one of the reasons that they (British) wanted Blair out, many didn't like his pandering to Bu$h.

[mr blur]

17. Technically, Broon isn't a poodle -

he's a Scottie.

[ms liberty]

18. I wish people would stop insulting poodles...

Anyone who's ever had a poodle knows they're not just sweet little lap dogs at all. They are loving, loyal, and very attached to their humans, but they are also very smart, picky, possessive, and demanding.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

19. Did Bush at least feed him American dog food or that recalled Chinese stuff?

[Canuckistanian]

20. Did Bush use the red-hot coat hanger?

Because it's not official until he does that.