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Subscribe to RSSA stone's throw away from the White House, former President George W. Bush said today the world is in an "extraordinary" time for freedom and that the changes of the Arab Spring should be embraced despite the uncertain future that comes with them.
Bush said those who say the dangers of democratic change are too great and that America should be in favor of stability over change are unrealistic.
"In the long run, this foreign-policy approach is not realistic," Bush argued, "It is not realistic to presume that so-called stability enhances our national security. Nor is it within the power of America to indefinitely preserve the old order, which is inherently unstable."
Bush advocated a clear stand. "American's message should ring clear and strong," Bush said. "We stand for freedom -- and for the institutions and habit that make freedom work for everyone."
Bush's stance puts him at odds with some hard-liners in his party, who have considered Israel's interests in the region first. They have been critical of Hosni Mubarak's ouster and the political process that has followed, including the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The U.S., led by Obama, has walked a fine line on intervention during the Arab spring. America was reticent at first to get involved in Egypt, because of the "stability," from an American perspective, that Mubarak represented. But eventually Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton embraced the changes.
The U.S. intervened in Libya, but only after building a multilateral approach and letting NATO take the lead. Some Republican presidential candidates knocked Obama for not intervening, and then others criticized him for getting involved at all. Newt Gingrich did both. The U.S. has not intervened in Syria, something Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has been critical of Obama for not doing more on Syria.
Romney on a radio program in October called the Arab Spring "out of control." “We’re facing an Arab Spring which is out of control in some respects," he said, "because the president was not as strong as he needed to be in encouraging our friends to move toward representative forms of government."
He says on his website that what's happening in the Arab Spring is "doubled edged." And: "To protect our enduring national interests and to promote our ideals, a Romney administration will pursue a strategy of supporting groups and governments across the Middle East to advance the values of representative government, economic opportunity, and human rights, and opposing any extension of Iranian or jihadist influence. The Romney administration will strive to ensure that the Arab Spring is not followed by an Arab Winter."
Bush acknowledged that once these movements succeed in overthrowing a regime the hard work is not behind them. "After the euphoria, nations must deal with questions of tremendous complexity," he said, adding, "Problems once kept submerged by force must now be resolved by politics and consensus."
Bush and the former first lady were in town for the Washington launch of The Bush Center's Freedom Collection, which is an initiative to document the stories of dissidents. They were joined by Pastor Bob Fu the founder of ChinaAid and an advocate for Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng and the newly elected member of parliament Daw Aung San Suu Kyi appeared from Myanmar via Skype. Pastor Fu said he hopes to see Mr. Chen and his family in the U.S. soon.
President Bush quipped at the top of his remarks that he found his freedom by leaving Washington.
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One of the most inept presidents in American history! He doubled the national debt and greatly curtailed our liberties! He snuk the Patriot Act through Congress during the night so the citizenry would not have time to react and stop it. He declared, "The Constitution's a [expletive deleted] damn piece of paper!" He outlawed the incadescent light bulb. I could go on and on and on!
I love all the ignorant posts screaming about Sharia law when they have NO idea what it actually is.
It would be funny if it didn't reflect so much of the right wing.
Sharia law is meant to slave the population of the Muslim World under the influance of the Muslims' clergymen who only preach parts of the laws in order to stay superior. That will never happen. Read my novel 'Twins in Arms' to understand these clergymen.
You make my point and you also clearly have made another great point the problem is not Sharia law which is actually quite moderate it's the abuse by the radical clerics.
Kind of like the extreme Christian right who only quote those parts of the bible that support thier views. (I am a Christian but it's hard to miss)
When Egypt votes for the ex-Muslim Brotherhood guy for their President, we'll see once again how much air flows between GWB's ears! The real answer is to return to a basic Republican ideal of isolationism; remember, they were the party that tried to keep us out of WWII. We were not elected to be the world's cops...and we aren't doing such a bang-up job of it either!
uh....obama was the one that told hosni mubaraak to step down.
sorry but that was obamas doing, yes ?
Mubarak was the minis of human rights. The Muslim Brother Hoood as a turtle beats the rabbit Mubarak by allwoing him to disgrace his people.
And just think this is the same guy who lied about WMD, did not know what to do during 9-11 or hurricane katrina, his foreign policy agenda was so weak that it may as well been invisable, let wall street run totally crazy under his watch, put the economy in the toilet, started two unpayed for wars, had his best friends go to federal prison( ken lay and tom delay) and now he wants to get off his meds and come back into the picture, this man really has some nerve to even think about it.
Hawk, he didn't even know how Iraq was created by Europeans or that there are three separate groups all called Iraqis - Sunni, Shiite and Kurds. He admitted he didn't know anything about any of these groups and wondered if anyone else did and if it mattered. The man was totally oblivious.
uh...bill clinton was the one that lied about wmds
....bill clinton was the one that did nothing about bin laden when he repeatedly killed americans in the 90s
.....governor blanco took 4 days before she declared an emergency in La.
...his foreign policy was to end the failed policies of bill clinton (iraq, afghanistan, north korea, iran)
...we had 4% unemployment under bush
....the wars were paid for....(it's called a budget...something obama has yet to produce)
....his best friends are his wife laura and his daughters....not convicted felons as you think.
but the rest of your comment....he could be on meds, with all the hate from liberals that want to execute him...i probably would want something too.
heil keck!
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keck: What brand of reverse psychology are you trying to use? Bush jr was no more than a weak limp lizard who only became president because of who he knew and who's butt he kissed. One thing about this sucker is that you can't change his history or his legacy because he could not even run the texas rangers baseball team without putting them at being almost bankrupt, and the country was his next experiment which he totally failed at, so you can take your comment and ask Mitt Romney how to better flip flop your lies and stay in denial on purpose because he is a pro at both.
Hawk, You can thank the Democrats for both Katrina and 9/11. I was about to be sworn in as a Deputy Sheriff when they attacked only 9mo's into his election. Katrina was fine according to the Democratic State's men. The city and State left the people of NO hanging..
hawk;
Bush Jr was elected by his people with a few twist here and there. So what! Who ever run the national security of our country are the ones are accountable.
Bush is my president and the best president of the US.
As barnham said....there is a sucker born every minute. Congrats nuoc...this is your moment.
thats just realy mean sbstartlite, hope nuoc isn't a kid
The Arab Brotherhood Anti Liberal is coming and he will start WW3 . Bush did it Obama finished us off with Gay mariages . Assume the anti liberal position vote Mitt ! Abortion is not acceptable. Save the environment dump big oil.
Pres. Bush would have a lot more credibility and respect if he would utter these 3 simple words regarding WMD and Iraq before every speech: "I was wrong."
Realize Obama is WMD!
The Romney Administration? Now that is truly laughable. If anybody states what can be expected of the Romney administration they are selling snake oil or downright lying. The fact is Romney is all over the map and changes with the wind. He is courting Tea Partiers right now but he will talking more moderately as the election draws near and may even become more Democrat than Obama. The man is a chameleon rich boy that has no idea who he is and tries to please everyone and ends up pleasing no one.
Opinions from experience, are a valuable especially, when there is unlikely to be a hidden agenda behind those opinions.
Former Presidents have done alot of good once out of office and political life - and be come philanphapists of the heart not from power and greed or the contraints of compromise ( Marhgret Thatcher "Compromise is when nobody gets what they want")
There is always an agenda, especially this close to election time.
Like he knows what he's talking about.
there he is Liberals - the man you blame for all the evils in the world. W. Now he says America should support the freedom of Arab peoples within their societies even if it means a less secure United States of America?? Wow....pure evil. W is the worst!
no not evil. pure stupidity through and through!
his father is pure evil. W is too dumb to be evil. he's just a stupid boy.
It depends who is the real evil. Read my novel 'Twins in Arms.' There are people in our world would go to the extreme to destroy our way of life and not to mention that also dream to kill our land for many generation to come.
Bush has class ..Obama wants men to marry men and supports it... What does Obama have?
the guts to be able to let human beings love who they want without being threatened by it, that's what.
Bush has class? Thats hilarious. The dumbest frat boy bonehead who stole the presidency, and every time he opened his mouth offended someone, or proved his ignorance? He has class? Let me hear that again when they find him back in rehad for cocaine and alchohol (but I'm sure a classy rehab).
Bush takes a break from Kissing the Saudi's _sses, Holding their hands and Counting their Dirty Money to comment on the "Arab Spring."Go Away and Keep your Suck Up brother Jeb the Hell Out of Our Way! Then try Wiping the Blood Off your Hands. Good Luck with that!
Don't forget that Saudi's kingdom was and still is the best allies of the U.S.A. as much as Rome. If you think for one moment that the Muslim extremist won't hesitate to blow us to a kingdom come than you should smoke a fat doobie. Please read the novel 'Twins in Arms' that if you are concerned of the future of our U.S.A.
George is right on this one. Wisdom comes with age. Like Obama had no idea he'd inherit a collapsed economy, George had no idea 911 was on his horizon. He did the best he could under those sudden circumstances, with mistakes. And Obama's doing the best he can under the circumstances, with mistakes. It ain't no easy job.
One thing is to make mistakes and another is to lie us into a war of choice, killing a million innocent Irakis and more than five thousand of our troops. He and Cheney fabricated every single intelligence in order to get us there.
Alcatraz is waiting, he can choose his cell, they are all empty.
Correction. Iran was the main factor that dragged us to bid the war on Iraq by spilling our young soldiers’ blood, killing innocents’ people and drain us financially while the Ayatollahs of Iran laughing at us. Iran could take over Iraq, Syria and Lebanon when ever it wishes to do so. The reason of Iran not doing it is just because of waiting to have nukes. If you think Iran won’t hit us at home, just read the novel ‘Twins in Arms.’
Who gives a crap what either Bush or Cheney have to say about anything. Good riddance to bad rubbish. They should be in jail.
The article failed to mention he was leaving a Rehab program when he was stopped for an interview. It is funny how the media fails to mention his relapse back onto Cocaine and Booze..
Once a Loser always a Loser...
What this war criminal says should be said behind bars, then we would know exactly that he is in his rightful place, in the company of Cheney and Rumsfeld.
If Bush says this it must be wrong, because we all know he's an idiot!
After the mess this idiot left us in, he should NEVER AGAIN comment on or contribute to this nation's policies. Go back to Texas, DUBYA!
I'am a conserative and will vote for Romney, but even I wish that George will just stay gone until the election is over. Only one puss I hate seeing more than George's.......... and that's Obama's !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A PRESIDENT ..... A REAL PRESIDENT !!!!!
Americans loved Bush so much for doing such a great job from 2001-2008 he is now endorsing Mitt Romney who promised to follow the same policies and Mitt has hired the Bush team. Bush can't go out the US for outstanding warrants for War Crime Charges. Dick Cheney also can't leave the US for fear of arrest on warrants. Bush needs money from Bain Capital so George will do anything. Mitt said Obama tossed away Clinton's plan of no spending. Mitt said Obama ran the US in debt from his spending from 2001-2012. Mitt knows how to lie and people believe and cheer. Mitt claimed Clinton left a balance budget/surplus and Obama took us to wasteful spending on two wars and he along with the Democrat Congress drove up to a Recession. Bush was glad Mitt pushed his eight years of crimes to be on Obama and voters believed every single word. Bush does pray Mitt gets in office to do worse then he did and maybe the foreign countries will go after Mitt.
Bush did do a great job. We owed about $20000 per person for the national debt under Bush, now we owe $129000 per person on the national debt. Make sure to leave your kids LOTS of cash; they will need it !!!
shut up and get back to your knitting.
OK MSNBC---But I also want to know what Homer Simpson has to say about this issue.
If Bush says it then I don't believe it! What an idiot.
Go home Georgie, there's some brush that needs cutting!
You shouldn't believe the WAR CRIMINAL OBAMA then. Obama has ALWAYS LIED! Even before being president.