OT: Goodbye to George W. Bush - How would you say it?

[The_Noble_Cause]

You do not seem to grasp the reality of the situation. The are no WMD, there never were. There is no evidence, not a shred. The Iraqis did not get rid of them for the simple reason that they were never there. As for the "intelligence" services, now there is a misnomer if ever there was. Are you suggesting that the Iraquis flushed these imaginary weapons down the toilet as American forces were knocking on the door? If the "intelligence" services really wanted to know what weapons Saddam had all they had to do was look to see what you, and others, sold him.

Save your breath.
The only smoking gun that needs to be trotted out (among many) is why did Bush have the weapons inspectors pulled out prematurely when they said there was scant little to be found?

Now the Right wishes to cite the same IAEA specialists ignored in the run up to Iraq to jin up a new war with a nuclear-empowered Iran.

[skinsguy]

. Maybe what we should have just done, is say "screw ya" to the rest of the world, never give a dime of money to any foreign country, let them fight their own wars, let them try to survive without any of the foreign aid we have exported out of our country. I mean, if these foreign countries really have that much hatred toward our country, I say screw 'em.

OMG....my thoughts exactly!!!!!!!! Think of all the money we would save. And then we wouldn't be considered such "bullies" I guess. I think we should just insulate our country, only worry about ourselves and let the rest of the world fend for itself as well.

We can produce our own oil, our own fuel, our own food. We have the world's strongest military, so our borders would be safe. Just keep all of our manufacturing jobs here. Keep all of our entertainment here in this country (second highest export from the US by the way.)

[Don]

Let's go ahead and annex Canada and Mexico. We get most of our cheap labor from one and half of our oil from the other anyway. We just need to send a note to Queen Elizabeth to give her a heads up since we're friends and all that.

[Arianddu]

The US has many things to like and admire about it. But unfortunately, on the international stage, it is also a bully, and bullies get resented and they get blamed. And eventually someone starts hitting back, and then every kid who was ever bullied or just afraid of being bullied will jump in. It's not fair and it's not rational, but you have to remember - the bully is STILL a bully, even if the final response is over the top.

So you're basically saying that we deserved 9-11?

NO!! And I have said more than once I do NOT condone what those fuckers did! Don't put words in my mouth just because you don't agree with my view point.

I am saying that the USA has behaved like a bully in the past, and is still behaving like a bully when it comes to international affairs, and that behaviour has consequences that don't disappear quickly.

Not putting words in your mouth. I'm just trying to gauge exactly where you are coming from with your point. As much foreign aid and money we have sent to other countries, I think that gives us a right to look out for our best interest internationally. Maybe what we should have just done, is say "screw ya" to the rest of the world, never give a dime of money to any foreign country, let them fight their own wars, let them try to survive without any of the foreign aid we have exported out of our country. I mean, if these foreign countries really have that much hatred toward our country, I say screw 'em.

Sorry, I don't see how you can read what I have posted and draw the logical conclusion that I think anyone deserved what happened that day.

[separate_wayz]

The US has many things to like and admire about it. But unfortunately, on the international stage, it is also a bully, and bullies get resented and they get blamed. And eventually someone starts hitting back, and then every kid who was ever bullied or just afraid of being bullied will jump in. It's not fair and it's not rational, but you have to remember - the bully is STILL a bully, even if the final response is over the top.

So you're basically saying that we deserved 9-11?

NO!! And I have said more than once I do NOT condone what those fuckers did! Don't put words in my mouth just because you don't agree with my view point.

I am saying that the USA has behaved like a bully in the past, and is still behaving like a bully when it comes to international affairs, and that behaviour has consequences that don't disappear quickly.

I sort of assumed that, being from Australia, you'd have a better grasp of the English-language word "bully". Apparently I assumed too much.

A bully is a stronger person (or country) who hurts or intimidates weaker or smaller people (or countries, in your example). By that measure, the U.S. is absolutely not a bully in the Middle East -- in fact, it's acted as a counter-balance to the worst kind of bullying behavior, the best example of which was Iraq's bullying of Kuwait. See, you're confused about who's the bully and who's the ally of the weaker party (Kuwait, in my example). The U.S. may often be the stronger country, but that by no means establishes bullying behavior. No mention on your part of Iraq's bullying behavior, which is actually the nicer way of saying its invasion, looting, and raping of a sovereign country.

There's also no mention of Iraq's previous partners in the United Nations: Russia, France, and China, which have engaged in the worst forms of arms trafficking and bullying behavior, including in the Middle East (but not limited to it). Why allege bullying behavior without even mentioning the context of how other countries actually behave? The French sold arms to a bonifide criminal regime (Iraq, under Saddam Hussein), even selling Mirage F-1C fighter aircraft (1990), AS-30L anti-ship weapons (1990), Roland-2 surface-to-air missiles (1990) after Saddam Hussein used weapons of mass destruction on the Kurds in 1988 (killing 5000, maiming another 10,000). No mention of the amoralism of aiding and abetting an international bully for pure financial gain (as France did).

Any mention of Russia's invasion of Georgia? Not by you. That was truly bullying behavior: intimidate a weaker neighbor, undermine its security, and threaten more if Georgia has the nerve to entertain collective security with NATO. Any mention of China's bullying and threatening of Taiwan? Not by you. If there are more outrageous examples of a stronger country trying to intimidate a weaker one, I can't think of them. Oh wait, I can add one: Iran's bullying and threatening of Israel, promising to wipe it off the map. Again, no mention by you.

What I think I'm seeing is feigned moral outrage (if it's the United States engaging in an alleged behavior) and complete disinterest (if it's real bullying and violent behavior and done by someone else).

The bottom line is that the United States gets vitriolic responses from other governments most often because it has the nerve (and ability) to enforce its interests around the globe, which often means squashing the attempts of rotten regimes to pillage, loot and rape decent countries (if not their own countries). And this is why the United Nations gets a deserved ho-hum, roll-of-the-eyes, and lack of respect from so many Americans, because big power interests (Russia, China, France) manipulate the system to justify abuses from Third World client states, all the while heaping disdain on the U.S. -- and many Americans can see right through the canard.

You can argue the particular pros and cons of the Iraq war, but to single out the U.S. as the world's leading bully is an exercise in selective myth-making and moral equivalizing.

[Luvsaugeri]

Let's go ahead and annex Canada and Mexico. We get most of our cheap labor from one and half of our oil from the other anyway. We just need to send a note to Queen Elizabeth to give her a heads up since we're friends and all that.

[Voyager]

Let's go ahead and annex Canada and Mexico. We get most of our cheap labor from one and half of our oil from the other anyway. We just need to send a note to Queen Elizabeth to give her a heads up since we're friends and all that.

Good idea. Then we would have the cheap labor force to compete with China and the oil to compete with the Middle East. Then the Americans can be the lazy fatcats in the middle who sit around playing their Xboxes and posting on Internet forums all day long.

Hey, wait a minute... that's what happening now anyway.

[Gin and Tonic Sky]

Let's go ahead and annex Canada and Mexico. We get most of our cheap labor from one and half of our oil from the other anyway. We just need to send a note to Queen Elizabeth to give her a heads up since we're friends and all that.

Ok fine but if Britian asks to join in , can we first insist that they learn how to win at international sports first......

[Luvsaugeri]

I sort of assumed that, being from Australia, you'd have a better grasp of the English-language word "bully". Apparently I assumed too much.

A bully is a stronger person (or country) who hurts or intimidates weaker or smaller people (or countries, in your example). By that measure, the U.S. is absolutely not a bully in the Middle East -- in fact, it's acted as a counter-balance to the worst kind of bullying behavior, the best example of which was Iraq's bullying of Kuwait. See, you're confused about who's the bully and who's the ally of the weaker party (Kuwait, in my example). The U.S. may often be the stronger country, but that by no means establishes bullying behavior. No mention on your part of Iraq's bullying behavior, which is actually the nicer way of saying its invasion, looting, and raping of a sovereign country.

There's also no mention of Iraq's previous partners in the United Nations: Russia, France, and China, which have engaged in the worst forms of arms trafficking and bullying behavior, including in the Middle East (but not limited to it). Why allege bullying behavior without even mentioning the context of how other countries actually behave? The French sold arms to a bonifide criminal regime (Iraq, under Saddam Hussein), even selling Mirage F-1C fighter aircraft (1990), AS-30L anti-ship weapons (1990), Roland-2 surface-to-air missiles (1990) after Saddam Hussein used weapons of mass destruction on the Kurds in 1988 (killing 5000, maiming another 10,000). No mention of the amoralism of aiding and abetting a international bully for pure financial gain (as France did).

Any mention of Russia's invasion of Georgia? Not by you. That was truly bullying behavior: intimidate a weaker neighbor, undermine its security, and threaten more if Georgia has the nerve to entertain collective security with NATO. Any mention of China's bullying and threatening of Taiwan? Not by you. If there are more outrageous examples of a stronger country trying to intimidate a weaker one, I can't think of them. Oh wait, I can add one: Iran's bullying and threatening of Israel, promising to wipe it off the map. Again, no mention by you.

What I think I'm seeing is feigned moral outrage (if it's the United States engaging in an alleged behavior) and complete disinterest (if it's real bullying and violent behavior and done by someone else).

The bottom line is that the United States gets vitriolic responses from other governments most often because it has the nerve (and ability) to enforce its interests around the globe, which often means squashing the attempts of rotten regimes to pillage, loot and rape decent countries (if not their own countries). And this is why the United Nations gets a deserved ho-hum, roll-of-the-eyes, and lack of respect from so many Americans, because big power interests (Russia, China, France) manipulate the system to justify abuses from Third World client states, all the while heaping disdain on the U.S., and many Americans can see right through the canard.

You can argue the particular pros and cons of the Iraq war, but to single out the U.S. as the world's leading bully is an exercise in selective myth-making and moral equivalizing.

[Arianddu]

The US has many things to like and admire about it. But unfortunately, on the international stage, it is also a bully, and bullies get resented and they get blamed. And eventually someone starts hitting back, and then every kid who was ever bullied or just afraid of being bullied will jump in. It's not fair and it's not rational, but you have to remember - the bully is STILL a bully, even if the final response is over the top.

So you're basically saying that we deserved 9-11?

NO!! And I have said more than once I do NOT condone what those fuckers did! Don't put words in my mouth just because you don't agree with my view point.

I am saying that the USA has behaved like a bully in the past, and is still behaving like a bully when it comes to international affairs, and that behaviour has consequences that don't disappear quickly.

I sort of assumed that, being from Australia, you'd have a better grasp of the English-language word "bully". Apparently I assumed too much.

A bully is a stronger person (or country) who hurts or intimidates weaker or smaller people (or countries, in your example). By that measure, the U.S. is absolutely not a bully in the Middle East -- in fact, it's acted as a counter-balance to the worst kind of bullying behavior, the best example of which was Iraq's bullying of Kuwait. See, you're confused about who's the bully and who's the ally of the weaker party (Kuwait, in my example). The U.S. may often be the stronger country, but that by no means establishes bullying behavior. No mention on your part of Iraq's bullying behavior, which is actually the nicer way of saying its invasion, looting, and raping of a sovereign country.

There's also no mention of Iraq's previous partners in the United Nations: Russia, France, and China, which have engaged in the worst forms of arms trafficking and bullying behavior, including in the Middle East (but not limited to it). Why allege bullying behavior without even mentioning the context of how other countries actually behave? The French sold arms to a bonifide criminal regime (Iraq, under Saddam Hussein), even selling Mirage F-1C fighter aircraft (1990), AS-30L anti-ship weapons (1990), Roland-2 surface-to-air missiles (1990) after Saddam Hussein used weapons on mass destruction on the Kurds in 1988 (killing 5000, maiming another 10,000). No mention of the amoralism of aiding and abetting a international bully for pure financial gain (as France did).

Any mention of Russia's invasion of Georgia? Not by you. That was truly bullying behavior: intimidate a weaker neighbor, undermine its security, and threaten more if Georgia has the nerve to entertain collective security with NATO. Any mention of China's bullying and threatening of Taiwan? Not by you. If there are more outrageous examples of a stronger country trying to intimidate a weaker one, I can't think of them. Oh wait, I can add one: Iran's bullying and threatening of Israel, promising to wipe it off the map. Again, no mention by you.

What I think I'm seeing is feigned moral outrage (if it's the United States engaging in an alleged behavior) and complete disinterest (if it's real bullying and violent behavior and done by someone else).

The bottom line is that the United States gets vitriolic responses from other governments most often because it has the nerve (and ability) to enforce its interests around the globe, which often means squashing the attempts of rotten regimes to pillage, loot and rape decent countries (if not their own countries). And this is why the United Nations gets a deserved ho-hum, roll-of-the-eyes, and lack of respect from so many Americans, because big power interests (Russia, China, France) manipulate the system to justify abuses from Third World client states, all the while heaping disdain on the U.S., and many Americans can see right through the canard.

You can argue the particular pros and cons of the Iraq war, but to single out the U.S. as the world's leading bully is an exercise in selective myth-making and moral equivalizing.

Ehwmatt is right, there is no point in trying to have this conversation on a message board. Of course I'm not going to drag in every other nation that has used intimidation, nor did I say the US is the only nation to use bullying tactics, and you are being disingenuous in your response. I'll have to agree to disagree with you, because there is no point in arguing with you; I doubt there is anything I can say that will change your mind, and vice versa.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Any mention of Russia's invasion of Georgia? Not by you. That was truly bullying behavior: intimidate a weaker neighbor, undermine its security, and threaten more if Georgia has the nerve to entertain collective security with NATO.

Georgia was the aggressor, not Russia.
Georgia attacked the South Ossetian capital with rockets killing innocents, including Russian peacekeepers.
McCain, who's top foreign policy advisor was a one-time Georgian lobbyist, was quick to begin the Russian saber rattling.
The media followed suite.

[skinsguy]

Sorry, I don't see how you can read what I have posted and draw the logical conclusion that I think anyone deserved what happened that day.

It's logically easy to draw that conclusion. You see the United States as a bully country. You feel bullies eventually get what's coming to them; even if, at times, the payback is a "little" excessive. I mean, no matter how well you "dress it up" that's what it sounds like.

I'm simply saying, those who view my country as a bully nation really isn't looking at all the good the US has done for international relations. All the aid we have given to foreign countries over the years; all of the military assistance we have given to help countries who were too weak to help themselves. All of that is tossed aside in favor of arguments to make the US appear as an evil country.

And again, I haven't agreed with everything President Bush's administration has done. Not by a long shot! But, this country does more good for the world than what is noticed.

[S2M]

The US has many things to like and admire about it. But unfortunately, on the international stage, it is also a bully, and bullies get resented and they get blamed. And eventually someone starts hitting back, and then every kid who was ever bullied or just afraid of being bullied will jump in. It's not fair and it's not rational, but you have to remember - the bully is STILL a bully, even if the final response is over the top.

So you're basically saying that we deserved 9-11?

NO!! And I have said more than once I do NOT condone what those fuckers did! Don't put words in my mouth just because you don't agree with my view point.

I am saying that the USA has behaved like a bully in the past, and is still behaving like a bully when it comes to international affairs, and that behaviour has consequences that don't disappear quickly.

I sort of assumed that, being from Australia, you'd have a better grasp of the English-language word "bully". Apparently I assumed too much.

A bully is a stronger person (or country) who hurts or intimidates weaker or smaller people (or countries, in your example). By that measure, the U.S. is absolutely not a bully in the Middle East -- in fact, it's acted as a counter-balance to the worst kind of bullying behavior, the best example of which was Iraq's bullying of Kuwait. See, you're confused about who's the bully and who's the ally of the weaker party (Kuwait, in my example). The U.S. may often be the stronger country, but that by no means establishes bullying behavior. No mention on your part of Iraq's bullying behavior, which is actually the nicer way of saying its invasion, looting, and raping of a sovereign country.

There's also no mention of Iraq's previous partners in the United Nations: Russia, France, and China, which have engaged in the worst forms of arms trafficking and bullying behavior, including in the Middle East (but not limited to it). Why allege bullying behavior without even mentioning the context of how other countries actually behave? The French sold arms to a bonifide criminal regime (Iraq, under Saddam Hussein), even selling Mirage F-1C fighter aircraft (1990), AS-30L anti-ship weapons (1990), Roland-2 surface-to-air missiles (1990) after Saddam Hussein used weapons of mass destruction on the Kurds in 1988 (killing 5000, maiming another 10,000). No mention of the amoralism of aiding and abetting an international bully for pure financial gain (as France did).

Any mention of Russia's invasion of Georgia? Not by you. That was truly bullying behavior: intimidate a weaker neighbor, undermine its security, and threaten more if Georgia has the nerve to entertain collective security with NATO. Any mention of China's bullying and threatening of Taiwan? Not by you. If there are more outrageous examples of a stronger country trying to intimidate a weaker one, I can't think of them. Oh wait, I can add one: Iran's bullying and threatening of Israel, promising to wipe it off the map. Again, no mention by you.

What I think I'm seeing is feigned moral outrage (if it's the United States engaging in an alleged behavior) and complete disinterest (if it's real bullying and violent behavior and done by someone else).

The bottom line is that the United States gets vitriolic responses from other governments most often because it has the nerve (and ability) to enforce its interests around the globe, which often means squashing the attempts of rotten regimes to pillage, loot and rape decent countries (if not their own countries). And this is why the United Nations gets a deserved ho-hum, roll-of-the-eyes, and lack of respect from so many Americans, because big power interests (Russia, China, France) manipulate the system to justify abuses from Third World client states, all the while heaping disdain on the U.S. -- and many Americans can see right through the canard.

You can argue the particular pros and cons of the Iraq war, but to single out the U.S. as the world's leading bully is an exercise in selective myth-making and moral equivalizing.

Do you actually think the US would even care about the affairs of the Middle East if Israel wasn't there? The ONLY reason we back Israel is that they own 50% of this country, and are a HUGE voting base.....Yes, this country is a bully, and the king rent-a-cop of the world.

[Carla777]

how can u give back to the world the ruins of Babylon, the beautiful ancient iraqui city?

[Michigan Girl]

how can u give back to the world the ruins of Babylon, the beautiful ancient iraqui city?

or the lives..............

[Jana]

how can u give back to the world the ruins of Babylon, the beautiful ancient iraqui city?

or the lives..............

As horrific as that day was, Saddam Hussein did not have anything to do with 9-11. Bush has admitted it. Those photos and that act have to do with Osama Bin Laden.

[annpea]

[

quote="Luvsaugeri"]I think a simple "thank you" from that journalist for allowing him to live in a country where he is now free to throw a shoe at a world leader would have been more appropriate.

I find it strange that Americans are not offended by this. We should all be outraged at the disrespect shown to the United States of America. Because you can believe......he would have thrown that shoe at any one of us.

Agree with the man or not, I feel that as Americans we should stand behind our appointed leader and not applaud this kind of behavior from other countries. If someone did this to Obama.....I would be appalled. No matter what I think of the man or not. He is MY president regardless. JMO.

[/quote]The shoe was thrown at Bush, not the American people.

[Jana]

[

quote="Luvsaugeri"]I think a simple "thank you" from that journalist for allowing him to live in a country where he is now free to throw a shoe at a world leader would have been more appropriate.

I find it strange that Americans are not offended by this. We should all be outraged at the disrespect shown to the United States of America. Because you can believe......he would have thrown that shoe at any one of us.

Agree with the man or not, I feel that as Americans we should stand behind our appointed leader and not applaud this kind of behavior from other countries. If someone did this to Obama.....I would be appalled. No matter what I think of the man or not. He is MY president regardless. JMO.

The shoe was thrown at Bush, not the American people.[/quote]

He's not free to throw a shoe. He was arrested, as he should have been. Saddam was an evil man. Many people over there I'm absolutely sure do thank us, and I'm betting just as many don't, the ones where their innocent loved ones were killed or maimed, towns destroyed, homeless, many displaced and in different countries now. There's no happy ending to war, and I would imagine each person's experience and perspective is different that suffered through it.

[Carla777]

how can u give back to the world the ruins of Babylon, the beautiful ancient iraqui city?

or the lives..............

All lives for sure miss MG...all the innocent ones

[strangegrey]

I wrote a blog entry on this...

http://davekellogg.wordpress.com/2008/1 ... e-at-bush/

"In related news, the pitching-starved Baltimore Orioles have tendered a one-year offer to al-Zaidi on condition of his release. "

You sir, are one witty bastard, and I love you for it. That made me laugh out loud...hard...

[artist4perry]

how can u give back to the world the ruins of Babylon, the beautiful ancient iraqui city?

or the lives..............

All lives for sure miss MG...all the innocent ones

With all due respect to everyone here, some loved W some hated him. He is out of office soon. So what does argueing and fighting going to do? Say, so long, farewell, good riddence, goodbye, whatever........................

[strangegrey]

I would say goodbye to GWB by simply emoting:

"Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out"

While I am glad to hell he's going to be gone in 34 days, I'm scared shitless at what's going to happen over the next 4 years. I don't think McCain or Obama has it in them to do this country right....and I actively campaigned against McCain here and elsewhere, because I thought he was the worst of the two.

However, it doesn't erase the fact that we're in for some shit over the next few years...

[Jana]

I wrote a blog entry on this...

http://davekellogg.wordpress.com/2008/1 ... e-at-bush/

"In related news, the pitching-starved Baltimore Orioles have tendered a one-year offer to al-Zaidi on condition of his release. "

You sir, are one witty bastard, and I love you for it. That made me laugh out loud...hard...

Agreed. Very funny.

[Arkansas]

Let's go ahead and annex Canada and Mexico. We get most of our cheap labor from one and half of our oil from the other anyway. We just need to send a note to Queen Elizabeth to give her a heads up since we're friends and all that.

But if we're going to leave the rest of the world alone and insulate/isolate ourselves, then we've got to leave Mexico & Canada for all the bad guys to take over. I mean, "screw the world" means that we don't care if you're (the bad guys) in the western hemisphere, northern hemisphere, or even right here on our borders.

Let's just build walls like ancient China, and forget about everyone else...and see how fast Mexico & Canada fall.

(Btw Gunbot, this is not aimed at you.)


later~

[Luvsaugeri]

how can u give back to the world the ruins of Babylon, the beautiful ancient iraqui city?

or the lives..............

AMEN MG!!!

[Luvsaugeri]

[quote="annpea]The shoe was thrown at Bush, not the American people.[/quote]

Oh yeah....I'm sure he loves the rest of America. It's just Bush he hates.

The whole point is that I don't care what anyone's personal feelings are towards Bush. As Americans we should stand behind our President and be outraged that he be treated with such disrespect. Period.

[Luvsaugeri]

He's not free to throw a shoe. He was arrested, as he should have been. Saddam was an evil man. Many people over there I'm absolutely sure do thank us, and I'm betting just as many don't, the ones where their innocent loved ones were killed or maimed, towns destroyed, homeless, many displaced and in different countries now. There's no happy ending to war, and I would imagine each person's experience and perspective is different that suffered through it.

He was arrested. If he had thrown a shoe at Hussein in years past......he would have been executed. I'd say things have improved.

And all this talk of innocent lives......what about the 10's of thousands of innocent people Saddam was gassing??? Some people act like the big, bad US went over there and threw Mr. Rogers out of his neighborhood and took over!!

[nolippin]

http://play.sockandawe.com/

[separate_wayz]

Any mention of Russia's invasion of Georgia? Not by you. That was truly bullying behavior: intimidate a weaker neighbor, undermine its security, and threaten more if Georgia has the nerve to entertain collective security with NATO.

Georgia was the aggressor, not Russia.
Georgia attacked the South Ossetian capital with rockets killing innocents, including Russian peacekeepers.
McCain, who's top foreign policy advisor was a one-time Georgian lobbyist, was quick to begin the Russian saber rattling.
The media followed suite.

South Ossetia ..... you mean that part of sovereign Georgia occupied by Russian troops.

Yes, Russia has respected the sovereignty of a number of the former Soviet republics and East bloc countries .... like Poland, against which Russia threatened a nuclear attack if it would deploy missile defense interceptors. And the Czech Republic, against which Russia threatened a "significant" response if it deployed missile defense systems -- choose the anniversary of the Prague Spring to make their point (which wasn't lost on the Czechs). Or Ukraine, against which Russia has threatened to bring them back into Russian hegemony. And Latvia .... and Belarus .... get the picture?

[Voyager]

Oh yeah....I'm sure he loves the rest of America. It's just Bush he hates.

The whole point is that I don't care what anyone's personal feelings are towards Bush. As Americans we should stand behind our President and be outraged that he be treated with such disrespect. Period.

Let's change the country in your post and see what it looks like:

Oh yeah....I'm sure he loves the rest of Russia. It's just Putin he hates.

The whole point is that I don't care what anyone's personal feelings are towards Putin. As Russians we should stand behind our President and be outraged that he be treated with such disrespect. Period.

I have no hate for the Russian people, but I don't like Putin at all. If the Russians elected someone like Obama, the whole world would rejoice - just like they have regarding his election in the United States. Heck, Bush isn't even liked by most Americans anymore, let alone the rest of the world. Bush has played the bully on the international playground, and he is now leaving the playground for good. The international community is rejoicing over his exit from the world stage, as are most Americans. Join the party!