Bush in Albania /Knee-jerk reactions

[seatless-in-seattle]

After reading several comments I registered to clear up one thing:
The respect and love shown to Bush is not to be seen as an approval or disapproval on him or his policies (Presidents come and go and not everyone sees things Republican or Democrat). Albanians love Americans and America for many reasons, but the fact that President Wilson, Clinton, and now Bush with independence for Kosova stood up for us, trumps all. It's that simple, and it's called loyalty. The love and loyalty trancends party line too; in fact they are roads named after Clinton and Wesley Clark.
So please, think before slamming an entire country by saying "they're poor," or "brainwashed," just because Bush happened to be a Republican. When you go to Albania they will not ask you whether you're a Dem, Repub or what your stance on "No Child left Behind" is, they will simply respect you as an American.

Here it is: "Kosovo builds statue to 'saviour' Clinton"
"Pristina already has a road named after him, graced by a 12-metre (25 foot) tall mural of the former president. Pristina municipal authorities say they expect to erect the statue somewhere along Clinton Boulevard later this summer."
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL2316200920070523?feedType=RSS

[firefox_fan]

1. The love and loyalty Chimpy is showing to Gonzo?

Just checking...

[DKRC]

2. Would someone PLEASE tell them they can keep him.

:evilgrin:

[seatless-in-seattle]

4. done

now convince him to stay there :)
"Traditional Albanian hospitality is providing a roof over the heads of two-thirds of the 140,000 refugees in Macedonia. It is a custom to be reckoned with. The story is told of a poor Albanian family who meet a stranger. They invite the stranger into their home. When it comes time to eat, the only food in the house is a slice of bread. They tell the stranger that they have a custom of eating in the dark. The lights are put out and dinner is served. Family members pretend to eat while their guest the stranger partakes of the one slice of bread."
http://act-intl.org/news/dt_1997-99/DTKO1499.HTML

[DKRC]

9. If he'd listen to me I'd tell him to do alot of things.

But inflicting himself on innocent people isn't on my list.

[many a good man]

3. Yer right

But many of us here would like to see bush universally repudiated. I'm sure Albania is grateful for him standing up for independence, but I wonder how many there realize it is just a gimmick to create the false impression that he is a great democratic "liberator?" If they knew the real bush their enthusiasm should be more muted. He's riding the coat tails of Bill Clinton and Wesley Clark.

[seatless-in-seattle]

5. ...

assuming that you said is true: if one helps you with life and death matters, how are you supposed to treat them? Like it or not, Bush represents USA and USA (Bush too) has been great to Albanians.

[many a good man]

6. IMO the commemorative stamps went a little too far

I think he would have been happy with naming a baby rash after him. Or did I misread the NYT article? :P:

[pacalo]

7. Bush has been great to Albanians? How so?

[seatless-in-seattle]

8. Kosova

Kosova independence. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6737367.stm
<>

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0611/p04s02-woeu.htm
"On the streets, other Albanians expressed mixed opinions about the military campaigns there. But there is little public debate in Albania about their government's support of the wars, and it's difficult to find anyone in Tirana, politician or ordinary person, who has anything bad to say about America.

"I think the sentiment is pro-American rather than pro-Bush," says Endri Fuga, director of communications for Mjaft! Movement, one of Albania's largest activist organizations. For many Albanians who remember communism, he says, America still represents the ideal of freedom and democracy."


For the record: James Baker was received as a rock star in 90's in Albania and so was Clark, Blair and Clinton (in Kosova.)

[pacalo]

10. That magnificent display is due to President Clinton's/Wes Clark's efforts.

What has the boy king done directly for Albania, besides riding on President Clinton's coat tails of humanitarianism?