Bush's Asia Trip Meets Low Expectations

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/20/AR2005112000827.html?referrer=email

BEIJING, Nov. 20 -- When President Bush was flying toward Asia a week ago, his national security adviser, Stephen J. Hadley, predicted to reporters in the back of the plane that the four-nation trip would yield no "headline breakthroughs." He turned out to be right.

As Bush wrapped up his stay in Beijing on Sunday and prepared to head home Monday after a brief stop in Mongolia, the trip has produced no real breakthroughs of any sort. On a wide variety of issues, from trade to security to human rights, Bush won no concrete agreements from any of his summit partners.

White House officials said that did not mean the trip was unsuccessful, because they never expected to bring home any major agreements in the first place. Such trips, they said, reflect a more mature diplomacy aimed at building relationships and achieving steady progress that will produce gains at some later date. Yet at the same time, it means that a politically weakened Bush returns home without anything high-profile to brag about when he could use some good news.

<snip>

Bush wanted Japan to drop its two-year ban on U.S. beef imports, but although Japan seems likely to do so soon, it did not declare its readiness while the president was in town. Bush wanted to propel free trade during an economic summit in South Korea, but the general statement drafted by Pacific Rim leaders drops no tariffs and merely sets the stage for further talks.

In another setback, South Korea's cabinet on Monday backed a proposal to withdraw one-third of the country's 3,200 troops from Iraq.

...more...

One cannot "underestimate" dimson too much :eyes:

Zzzzzzzz.

I'm glad I paid for it, because it sounds well worth the money. (What am I saying? That door picture was worth A LOT!!!)

I think he just wanted to get out of the country and look like he was doing something important. His trust fund should get billed for these junkets.

floor board.

why did he bother going (on our nickel)

you'd think republicans would be howling
about the foolishness of this boondogle....
oh that's right... they USED to be the
party of fiscal responsibility.... now they are
the party of GINORMOUS NATIONAL DEBT.

Good going there PUKES.

The estimated population of the United States is 297,767,797
so each citizen's share of this debt is $27,189.60.

The National Debt has continued to increase an average of
$3.14 billion per day since September 30, 2005

and for a refresher on what it was prior to the dimson's fiscal policies:

09/28/2001 $5,807,463,412,200.06
09/29/2000 $5,674,178,209,886.86

Thank you republican party
for throwing our nation into
the worst dismal debt ever.

Bah...What a bunch of hacks.

authority on Friday.

http://today.reuters.com/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=uri:2005-11-18T070628Z_01_N18732825_RTRIDST_0_CONGRESS-FUNDING.XML

excerpt:

Rep. John Spratt of South Carolina, the senior Democrat on the House Budget Committee, said: "After the tax cuts are passed, there won't be a dime to pay for (hurricanes) Katrina or Rita." He noted that the Republican budget calls for a $781 billion increase in U.S. borrowing authority.

...more...

No other news organization has even picked up this little bitty piece of information that affects everyone.

:banghead:

with every man, woman and binkie owing a share of $27K+. Think of it as a conveyor belt. Every borrowed dollar has gone somewhere! Bush's base is doing quite well, thank you. But, as Sen. Dorgan quoted a constituent: "Trickle down economics? Hell, I'm not even damp yet."

that trip to church - lots of photo-ops with him accepting copies of the Bible and all from what I saw on the TeeVee. He's a true "Evangelist" now. :eyes:

every leader he met was polite...end of story.

our loss diplomatic clout. Really, how can you deal with a nation who has such inept leadership and seemingly approves of it by a democratic process?

That's finally a byline that's true, to the point and worth my subscription dollar.

yeah. right. whatever. :rofl: :crazy: :dunce: :rofl:

He is, was, and always will be a loser, IMO.

an even worse trip to South America--where he contributed to the falling out between Chavez and Fox, coming away with no trade agreement--which regarding the latter, we knew would happen.

The Horror! The Horror! The Great Unwashed Godless Commies are asking me questions!

what a pathetic idiot puppet. If you have two working brain cells, you should be able to see this is asshole shouldn't be trusted with a paper route, let alone being in charge of the US.

yardstick for success in this government for five years now? I wonder when they will?

* sucks warm mayonnaise

November 22, 2005
Tuesday

Bush has little to show for Asia trip

ULAN BATOR, Mongolia (AFP) - US President George W. Bush on Monday wrapped up a week-long trip to Asia, where he trumpeted shows of unity on Iran and North Korea and made little concrete progress on trade disputes.

Even before Bush left Washington, White House national security adviser Stephen Hadley had made no secret that the president's trip to Japan, South Korea, China and Mongolia would yield few tangible benefits.
(snip)

Bush came home with at least one US victory: A four-billion-dollar deal Chinese deal with Boeing to buy 70 737 aircraft between 2006 and 2008 as part of a broader arrangement to eventually supply 150 737s.

But he also suffered one diplomatic embarrassment, when South Korean officials unveiled plans to cut its troop level in Iraq by one-third -- one day after Bush praised the deployment after talks with President Roh Moo-Hyun.
(snip/...)

http://www.brunet.bn/news/bb/tue/nov22w18.htm

when the shit hit the fan!

Be fair now.

That's more than I for one was expecting.