Bush to enter eye of British storm

[Bragi]

By JONATHON OLIVER in London
29sep03

UNITED States President George W. Bush will face a series of embarrassing snubs and potentially violent protests when he makes his first full State visit to Britain, prompting fresh humiliation for British Prime Minister Tony Blair over Iraq.

Downing Street has already begun a damage limitation exercise ahead of the planned trip in November.

Officials have vetoed proposals for Mr Bush to address Parliament, fearing he would face a mass boycott from Labour MPs...

http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,7402802%5E912,00.html

(It is going to be "interesting" watching preparation and planning for what promises to be the most embarrassing Presidential visit ever. Why it is happening at all is a mystery. Will the demos against Bush attract just the usual (1-2 million) Brits who demo'd in February, or will Euros from everywhere descend on London to participate in the festivities? While this would be good for tourism, it makes one wonder if Blair has gone totally batty.)

- Bragi

[JNelson6563]

1. This is going to be great!!!

*rubbing hands together gleefully* Bush is going to sting sorely from this. hahahaha Especially on the tail of news of Clinton's warm receptions abroad! hahahahahahahaha

With stuff like this and the Wilson-gate breaking like fine china and all the other stuff-gone-awry I feel like it's political manna from Valhalla. ;-)

Julie

[zanana]

2. Don't get too excited.

This president will just bring his "bubble" along with him, and with the help of Tony Blair, protestors will be kept so far away from him, he won't be able to see them. Neither will we.

[T Roosevelt]

3. Don't believe Britain has First Amendment Zones

It might be a little tough for them to maintain any bubbles, and I think they are more politically active than we are. This will be VERY interesting...

[Don_G]

7. I Think He Has A Hide-Out Already

I heard Dimbo is going to spend "some" time in Buckingham Palace.

[LivingInTheBubble]

9. Thats not bad, you can protest a few tens of metres from the palace.

Unless they close those roads off..

I'm thinking of going down, I suspect there will be quite a few people there if a single day is nominated for protest

http://www.stopwar.org.uk/bulletin.asp?id=250903

[calimary]

16. Their media is more independent, too, which means

any and all protests will be fully covered. He won't be able to avoid it.

[Mechatanketra]

22. Uh, why would they NEED "First Amendment zones"?

... since they don't have a First Amendment?

Actually, I know the UK has no real written constitution to directly parallel America's ... is there some law there that does directly protect dissenters akin (theoretically) to our Bill of Rights, or is freedom of speech just common courtesy/honor system?

Just curious.

[muriel_volestrangler]

24. Human Rights Act 1998 has right to Freedom of Expression

and Freedom of Assembly and Association. It's the integration of the European Convention of Human Rights into British law. It has some of the features of a constitution - if a court feels other legislation conflicts with the Human Rights Act, it can ask Parliament to redraft the law; if it can't be settled that way, the case can go to the European Court of Human Rights, which can overrule the British Parliament, and force the law to change.

There are, of course, many ways the authorities could try to get round this if they wanted to stop a demonstration - 'likely to cause a breach of the peace', obstructing a hiughway, and such-like. In practice, it seems the more protestors cooperate with the police in advance, the more likely they are to be able to demonstrate.

There were instances a couple of weeks ago of police in London arresting demonstrators at an international arms fair under anti-terrorist laws. Even the authoritarian Home Secretary David Blunkett raised an eyebrow at that - see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3097150.stm

[dofus]

4. When is he going?

I can hardly wait to see the size of demonstrations that will occur. I bet Europeans from all over the continent will show up.

[tlcandie]

5. The question is what meaness will he pull once he gets back to

US to make up for all his ugly feelings of rejection? :shrug:

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

10. I believe it's 19th - 21st November

(just missing the 40th Anniversary of the JFK assassination)

[KoKo]

6. This has got to be his biggest PR stunt FAILURE Ever! I can't imagine

what they were thinking unless they are waiting to unveil the WMD or frozen bodies of Osama and Saddam!

This has got to be terrible PR for both of them......

[underpants]

8. This often happens when a King visits a informed Democracy

Oh how the tables hav turned. Sad but true.

[damnraddem]

11. Blair batty? No, at least not on this.

The demos against Dubya will take the spotlight off of Blair, for at least a few minutes. Maybe Blair's plea will be: "The Dubya made me do it."

[NashVegas]

12. My, Such INTERESTING Timing

Didn't Bush skip out of the country around the time Joseph Wilson first wrote his column?

[Mika]

28. Its at the same time as the FTAA meeting in Miami

The big protest day in Miami is Nov 20.

[Mikimouse]

13. Perhaps he is planning to ask Blair

for political asylum? Snark!!!

[Padraig18]

14. Imaginary convo

SHRUB: "I'm sorry, Ollie!"

BLAIR: " Oh, shut UP! This is another fine mess you've gotten us into!"

:P

[TacticalPeek]

17. LOL!

:silly:

[Nottingham]

15. Bush just doesn't GET IT! Nobody wants to be around him!

Not right Now! This is the kiss of Death for Tony Blair!

Labour Party are going to have a very hard time this election!


Tony will have a job here in the states for millions! :bounce:

[TacticalPeek]

18. Actually, I simply cannot believe they will go through with this.

Something will come up. Maybe invade North Korea as an excuse to stay home.

[karlschneider]

19. I'm thinking the same thing. Something "urgent" will "postpone" it.

:eyes:

[Minstrel Boy]

20. Bush was the least-travelled modern president before

his selection, and he must be the least-travelled since. This would be only his first full state visit to Britain. How many times has Blair flown to Washington? Hell, Bush can't even come to Canada. The promise/threat of mass protest, and the indifference of Chretien's government, caused him to cancel a trip to Ottawa in the Spring.

Bush is a spiritual brother of Karzai. Both are virtual prisoners of their presidential compounds, watched by American guards.

[saigon68]

25. YOU MEAN THE MAYOR OF KABUL??

The one with the hundreds of U. S. State Dept, Brown and Root, paid private mercenary, ex-Green Beret and Ranger civilian body guards, hovering over him every minute of the day---THAT KARZAI?

[snippy]

21. I hope the 'Bare Your Bum at Bush' protests happen.

Bare-cheeked protesters plan to bushwhack Dubya

CAMPAIGNERS hope to halt an as yet unannounced visit to Britain by US President George W Bush this autumn, by giving him the bum’s rush.

. . .

If Bush’s arrival cannot be halted, he hopes every possible photograph and TV news item will be spoilt by the naked backside of a dissenter.

“If he comes, he’s going to go for those photo-opportunities of happy crowds welcoming him, and George W Bush doesn’t deserve it. I’d like to rob him of that propaganda device,” Ireland said, but added that this was a secondary goal. “I’d rather do more than just subvert it – I’d like him to cancel it. I’ve been calling on people to put their hands up and say, ‘If he turns up in my town, I’d be willing to bare my bottom.’”

http://www.sundayherald.com/36689

Here is the website.
http://www.bloggerheads.com/can_weblogs/bush_bum.asp

And a previous thread.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=113232#114369

[Raenelle]

31. Oh, I like that--TYBOB translated as turn your bum on bush

n/t

[Unknown Known]

23. Tony has been visited by the Ghost of Christmas Future!

He looks like a man who has seen his own grave:scared:

[screembloodymurder]

26. Will he be protected from the British people?

I hope our friends from overseas are able to protest. If the American people see how this man is hated by our allies, maybe they will realize it's a coalition of one.

[Nihil]

27. A little wager ...

I bet that we (in the UK) will see significant "anti-terrorist"
activity in the next six weeks. In addition, some of the early
raids will "round-up" a number of foreign-born people (Algerians,
Moroccans, Iranians, Afghans) to be "held for questioning". There
might even be a native Briton or two - no doubt connected to the
anti-globalisation groups or the animal welfare organisations.
(The internet is bound to get blamed somewhere down the line.)

The will be little or no reporting of the release of said "suspects"
after the inquiries have been conducted and, as they will probably
not have any family here to make a fuss on their behalf, very little
will be said in their defence while they are being held.

Finally, there will be a "significant arms-cache" discovered in the
first or second week of November - significant not in size (we're
used to the IRA cache reports for example) but in nature:

"Hey, here's a home-made anti-aircraft missile!"
(turns out to be a length of drain-pipe and some fireworks
bought in the corner shop for Guy Fawke's Night November 5th)

"Look, there's a biological weapons plant!"
(a couple of fermentation demijohns for home-brew wine)

"Gosh, vital plans for mass murder"
(An A to Z or map of the London Underground with major tourist
sites like Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, highlighted)

At least it distracts media (and hence public) attention away from
the Kelly affair, the lack of WMDs and every other major cockup that
Blair has on his tab at the moment.

Nihil

[LivingInTheBubble]

30. Spot on.

10 algerian men detained today I believe.

They do it every so often: Make a big fuss about detaining lots of brown people eventually press immigration charges where they can and then quietly let them go a few weeks later.

[Bragi]

32. Interesting suggestions...

but it's still hard to fathom "why" this apparent PR disaster is even happening.

One thing I wonder about here is whether Bush and Blair might intend to release the David Kay report on WMDs in London during the visit.

Doing so wouldn't make Kay's sophistic fluff any more convincing, but at least the much-more effective Blair would be on hand to deal with media questions, and Americans would get to see Tony stand by his man.

The aftermath of the release of the report, and a truck load of accompanying documments of mass destruction, might also eclipse the protests as the focus of news coverage.

Just a theory...

- B

[FormerOstrich]

29. What about the standing ovation requirement?

Maybe the protesters should sit so as not to confuse him.

[Bridget Burke]

33. The eye of a storm is very quiet.

(I've been through a couple of hurricanes.)

Transporting him from plane to meetingplace to castle is the hard part--the only time he might be exposed to reality. Expect heavily armored vehicles with dark windows, closed streets, large escorts--even possible decoys.

All "for security"--when we know it's mostly to insulate his thinskinned little self from any hint that everybody does NOT love him.