Fighting us over there and threatening to fight us over here. "Gazans stage anti-Bush protests," from Associated Press (thanks to Jeffrey Imm):
Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza staged protests against George W. Bush on Wednesday, burning Bush in effigy and underscoring the deep political split with West Bank moderates who welcomed the visit of the US president as an important gesture to the Palestinians.Supporters of Hamas chanted "Death to America," and burned US and Israeli flags. A shadowy al-Qaida-inspired group appeared in public for the first time with rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers, and uttered vague threats against US targets.
Bush arrived in Israel on Wednesday for a three-day visit that also includes a meeting in the West Bank on Thursday with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as a pilgrimage to Jesus's traditional birth grotto in biblical Bethlehem.
[...]
In Hamas-ruled Gaza, about 5,000 supporters of the Islamic militant group marched in the streets to protest the visit, burning effigies of Bush and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Some held posters showing a dog biting Bush's head, and of a young man stepping on Bush's head with his shoe.
[...]
Some 200 supporters allied with Abbas's Fatah movement and other secular Palestinian factions urged Bush to abandon what they said was his pro-Israel bias.
"We call on President Bush in his visit to adopt an equal standard, and not to continue the biased policy in favor of the occupation government," a senior Fatah leader in Gaza, Zakariya al-Agha, told the marchers.
In the southern Gaza town of Khan Yunis, about 20 masked supporters of an al-Qaida-inspired group calling itself the "Army of the Nation," displayed weapons in a first public appearance.
The men wore black robes over black pants. Some wore red headbands with the words "death squad."
A spokesman for the group, who only gave his nom de guerre, Abu Hafs, said Bush was "not welcome" in the Palestinian territories. "We are coming, not to Bush in Tel Aviv, but God willing to Washington," he said.
He described members of the terror network al-Qaida as "brothers," with similar methods and ideology, but added that "there is no complete connection" to his group.
Abu Hafs's group has claimed responsibility for several recent mortar and rocket attacks on Israeli border communities.
In recent months, several al-Qaida-inspired groups have emerged in Gaza, though their actual links to the terror network, if any exist, are murky. An almost complete closure of Gaza since the Hamas takeover in June has driven Gazans deeper into poverty, creating fertile ground for militant groups.
There has been intense speculation about a possible al-Qaida presence in the Palestinian territories since the 2001 terror attacks on New York and Washington.
Palestinian intelligence officials believe the terror network has formed some sleeper cells in Gaza, and suspect possible al-Qaida involvement in several spectacular attempts to assassinate Palestinian security commanders since 2004. Israel also insists al Qaida has put down roots in Gaza, a claim denied by Hamas.
Some Gazans recalled the visit of Bush's predecessor, Bill Clinton, to Gaza in 1998. At the time, peace hopes ran high, and Clinton was given a hero's welcome in the coastal territory.
"We were full of joy and hope on that day (of Clinton's visit)," said Shawki Abdel Rahman, 59, a retired teacher, who watched Bush's arrival on a large-screen TV in a Gaza electronics store.
"Today, it's the opposite," he said. "There is no peace and no joy over this visit."
Feel the love Iman Bush? You are throwing Israel under the jihadi bus to give these "grateful" people a homeland.
"The men wore black robes over black pants. Some wore red headbands with the words "death squad."
...should have read "Death Cult Follower",,,or "Yes, I am a fool"...
"Supporters of Hamas chanted "Death to America," and burned US and Israeli flags"
...not one more dime or other aid to this group of 7th century buffoons...
How about Bush abandon his ideal that peace is possible with these rascally rabbits? Nah, Bush thinks he and Condi have the answers.
Perhaps Bush and Condi should leave their security details behind and wade out into the massess of the "peace loving Palestinian peoples" that they so often talk about in glowing terms.
Screw the "Palestinians" and all their ilk. I will continue to lose no sleep at night if a bunch of Islamic fanatics don't love me or the US. Now the State Dept on the other hand....
"Today, it's the opposite," he said. "There is no peace and no joy over this visit."
There is no peace or joy in Islamland.
"We are coming, not to Bush in Tel Aviv, but God willing to Washington,"
Hamas and Fatah have confirmed one statement that Pres. Bush has made. If the US withdraws from the Middle East, the "terrorists" will follow us to America.
If the PA endorses the Clintons that would be enough reason to vote against Hillary.
Of course no surprise here as the America and the EU poor billions into Palestines Cottage Industry of hate, and terrorism at adnauseam. Why we keep feeding fuel to a fire that threatens to burn us every day is beyond me. And the threats continue to grow.
It never ceases to amaze me that we keep paying the Jizya to these Islamic countries and the land of Palestine while this incredibly oil rich world continues to have leaders live in amazing opulence.
The disparity and clash in values makes Western Capitalism look almost meek in comparison even though are big oil power brokers are complicitly guilty of always looking the otherway.
Isn't that special?
That's not really news.. They've BEEN in Washington for a very long time.
Over here they go by the name of CAIR.
Same terrorists, different name. It's all about branding.
In the southern Gaza town of Khan Yunis, about 20 masked supporters of an al-Qaida-inspired group calling itself the "Army of the Nation," displayed weapons in a first public appearance.
And WHY are we always giving these "people" money when they have no lack of fund for weaponry of all kinds?!
They can always sell their guns if they're really so "hungry".
What a load of carp! Yes, I said CARP.
"We were full of joy and hope on that day (of Clinton's visit)," said Shawki Abdel Rahman, 59, a retired teacher, who watched Bush's arrival on a large-screen TV in a Gaza electronics store.
"Today, it's the opposite," he said. "There is no peace and no joy over this visit."
from the article
And what happened between those two visits?
The year Bill Clinton was received as a hero, two US embassies in Africa were blown up.
The Palestinian people rejected peace and launched a full scale intifada, blowing up people in pizza parlors and at bus stops and restaurants.
Al Qaeda blew up a US ship and killed 3,000 people. Palestinians rejoiced in the streets when the towers fell.
Do Palestinians need mirrors? You can't see yourselves.
Interesting how Bush still manages to draw their ire, considering this administration is all but bending over backwards to ensure that the nation of Israel all but vanishes from the face of the Earth. Now he's talking about ending the "occupation" of "Arab land" hung over from the '67 war and giving the Paleo's (the term itself is an homage to Latin after-all) something more than just a "swiss-cheese state" riddled with "security check points."
In other words,lavish even more billions,no make that trillions if possible, on us to correct this current "biased policy in favor of the occupation government." Laughable,inbred cretins who don't even recognize a potential gift horse. Only what 12 months to go?
Grizzlybear;
Technological advancements in the field of harnessing solar power in recent years have been accelerating dramatically and, according to SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN's January cover article, within a generation or so these advances will make petroleum and other fossil fuels OBSOLETE. Solar power is inexhaustible too and requires no offshore drilling and does not create oil spills.
So you can dispense with the fingerpointing at the enviros. the world is moving on from fossil fuels; but if you want, we'll still let you drill for oil in the Yukon.
As for Islam, the jihadist machine has also moved into other forms of financing such as the global drug trade. China incidentally purchases more ptero from Islamic lands than the US ever did. The Islamic cash cow still moos and sloshes.
So even with homegrown petro supplies, the west will NOT be able to stop jihad war by boycotting Middle East petroleum (though it once would have been).
Pig Skin Body Bags, Shaped like Footballs, Right down to the laces that tie them up.
God can practice Field Goal Kicking through the gates of Hell.
You have got to be kidding me! Pork by products and references to Gen.Pershing are now off limits? Didn't realize we were posting at the Guardian website.
I don't know why Bush bothers, these people are NEVER EVER going to have peace. What a waste of time.
Bush bothers because of that stupid "L" word - legacy.
Clinton felt he had to trump the end of the cold war, which just happened to occur under Reagan/Bush and so he went bananas over the Palestinians. All we heard from his staff for the last two years (after Lewinsky) was legacy. He had all those talks at Camp David to give himself a better spot in history, not to help others. Now GWB thinks he has to follow suit. If these nitwits would just do their jobs, their legacies would be assured. Trying to write your own history (is that what "peace in our time" was about?) gets you into all sorts of trouble. Neville Chamberlain isn't remembered for bringing peace to Europe. Bush won't be lionized for what he is doing in the Middle East. He would have been better off had he stuck to his principles and refused to deal with the terrorists in Palestine while they went about murdering people. Instead he panicked when Iraq seemed to be going down a rat hole and figured the Palestinians were his best bet. Now his legacy is most definitely assured and it's not a good one.
PMK, yes good insightful answer. Bush's legacy will be many things, but peace in the middle east won't be one of them.
"We are coming, not to Bush in Tel Aviv, but God willing to Washington," he said.
Yeah thats right morons, come closer so we can see you , your getting your asses handed to you by my tax supported military buds, come find out what an armed american population can do,don't bother to bring a lunch either there won't be time!!!!!!!!
How much money are we giving these unthankful jerks?