Bush Pushes for Democratic Reform in the Middle East

[CShine]

ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) - President Bush, standing at the historic Bosporus waterway that has long linked Europe and Asia, defends his push for Middle East democracy Tuesday against Arab critics who say the United States seeks to impose its views on the region. Bush believes democracy can flourish in Muslim countries, just as it has in Turkey, and will argue in a speech closing out the NATO summit here that supporting freedom and democracy in volatile nations will help secure America and other countries too. But Bush's initiative has been criticized by some Arab leaders, who accuse the United States of trying to export its brand of democracy while not doing enough to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Arab mistrust of the United States has intensified as a result of American troops' abuse of Iraqi prisoners and Bush's backing of Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's announced plan for Israel to withdraw from all Gaza settlements and parts of the West Bank. The White House says Bush's initiative is misunderstood. The administration says it's less a blueprint that seeks to impose an American-style democracy on Arab nations than a collection of ideas to urge reform from the inside out. His initiative proposes

In a speech earlier this month, Bush said that if the Mideast "grows in democracy and prosperity and hope, the terrorist movement will lose its sponsors, lose its recruits and lose the festering grievances that keep terrorists in business." In the same speech, Bush said only a few words about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which Arabs contend is the heart of the problem.

While Arab leaders have denounced what they see as U.S. meddling, the initiative did prompt them to take at least a small step toward reform. The Arab League offered a vague commitment to political changes at its recent summit. In his speech, the last stop on a two-day visit to Ankara and Istanbul, Bush also will herald Monday's transfer of sovereignty in Iraq and NATO's decision to help train Iraqi security forces.

"After decades of brutal rule by a terror regime, the Iraqi people have their country back," Bush said during a news conference Monday with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, his steadfast ally in the war.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBHXQ9O1WD.html

[Systematic Chaos]

1. Sounds great but for one liiiiiiiiitle problem

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x653000

Can you say BUSHIT?

[opihimoimoi]

2. Bushit is right

Its all Over the TOP BS