Thursday, June 15, 2006



Showing the Iraqis their place

President Bush made a flying visit to Iraq the other day, to "show his support" for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. But while doing so, he also showed them something else: their place. For security reasons, the Iraqi Prime Minister was not informed of Bush's visit until five minutes before his arrival - a stunning vote of confidence in Iraq's security, and one which removed any question of permission. Instead, it was "the President will be here in five minutes; get ready to be the smiling backdrop in his photo-op". So much for Iraqi sovereignty...

5 comments:

You can take offense at anything if you really want - including surprise visits.

Posted by Genius : 6/15/2006 08:01:00 PM

I'd tell Dubya to piss off if he turned up on my doorstep uninvited. Of course it's offensive. It makes a mockery of sovereignty. Why did they return it to the Iraqis at all?

Posted by Matt : 6/16/2006 01:59:00 AM

I'd doubt that Walter Ulbricht or Erich Honecker got asked if Brezhnev, Khruschev or Stalin fancied dropping by.

Posted by Rich : 6/16/2006 01:13:00 PM

I'm not surprised, but I think its worth pointing out.

Posted by Idiot/Savant : 6/16/2006 03:34:00 PM

If helen clarke wanted to visit the US would she have to ask permission from bush? what if she decided to turn up at a conference?
I wouldn't think so.

Bush's visit is probably a little different in as far as he might be accompanied by an army of security and I think that bush does treat iraq like a bit of a "vassal state" but I would say if people take offense at an individual poping up unanounced then the major problem is their offence not the act itself.

Posted by Genius : 6/18/2006 03:32:00 PM