Interesting responses from around the world on the Bush victory.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi saw Bush's victory as bolstering the U.S.-declared "war on terror."
....Putin said victory for Bush meant the United States had not allowed itself to be cowed by terrorists. "I can only feel joy that the American people did not allow itself to be intimidated, and made the most sensible decision," he told a Kremlin news conference.
Berlusconi, also in Moscow, said: "Bush will continue with the policy that assigns the United States the role of defender and promoter of freedom and democracy."
In Poland, which like Italy has troops in Iraq backing U.S. forces, President Aleksander Kwasniewski said that on terrorism Bush "is a very decisive leader who is right, simply right" and that continued cooperation with him was "really good news."
....Even in the Middle East, Farid Al-Khazin, political science professor at the American University of Beirut, said: "Continuity in policy at time of war is going to be crucial and I think re-election of Bush is far better."
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra saw Bush's Republicans as more "outward looking" than the Democrats and said a Bush victory would be better for free trade. [Reuters]
The neutral:
- Iyad Allawi, prime minister of the U.S.-backed Iraqi government, told Italian daily La Repubblica both Bush and Kerry were regarded as friends. "The United States liberated us from a dictator, from a very long period of war and agony."
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said that between the two contenders "there is no significant difference when it comes to their deep and warm support for Israel."
Other leaders also said either outcome would have been fine. "I think there will basically be no change in the recognition of friendship between Japan and the United States," said Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
The concerned:
- In France, which was a leading critic of the war, Foreign Minister Michel Barnier called the election the start of "a new stage" irrespective of who won.
"We are going to work with the new U.S. administration," he said. "We have many things to do, both on the current crises — in Iraq, the Middle East, Iran, the fate of the African continent — and to renovate the transatlantic relationship."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Eric Olsen
updated
2 - SFC SKI
None of these articles could be true, Eric, because it is well known that Americans don't know about countries outside their own borders, and only read in English. [/sarcasm]
3 - Pandora
lol, thanks SKI. I needed that laugh.
I'm going to go cry more now..
Though I do appreciate these exerts..they're more positive that I Fing feel.
4 - Jim Carruthers
From my perspective outside the USA, I don't feel comfortable crossing border because your government doesn't recognize my rights and international rule of law, and that erosion of rights and liberties is only going to increase.
At least I'm thankful I have a choice not to go there, but have the rest of the world.
5 - RJ
No one is asking you to come here, JC...
6 - Jim Carruthers
Which of course, proves my point the USA has become a hostile, ugly neighborhood in decline without much to offer the rest of the world.
And RJ is the guy on the corner with a brown-bag yelling at people he doesn't recognize: "I'm the mayor of this here corner, gimme respect!"
7 - Eric Olsen
JIm, you can visit anytime. The US is quite hospitable unless you look like a terrorist
8 - Pandora
::Which of course, proves my point the USA has become a hostile, ugly neighborhood in decline without much to offer the rest of the world.::
Whoo boy, and ppl say we're the rude & ugly ones.
I'd actually prefer he didn't come visit. We have enough ppl leeching off our government, when americans need help, as it is.
9 - boomcrashbaby
Pandora, what does a foreigner visiting our country have to do with people leeching off of our government?
10 - Jim Carruthers
The point I was trying to make was the USA has become a less attractive place to plan to travel to, ie, I don't want to go there, don't need to go there, and will probably have no reason to do business in the States anymore than I would in Argentina or Russia.
The USA has become a more risky place which doesn't respect or uphold the rights of citizens from other places.
11 - Natalie Davis
Hell, it doesn't respect or uphold the rights of many of its own citizens!
Jim, trust me, you don't want to come here. Many of us don't want to *be* here.
12 - Gee Dubs
Jc & Nat,
Feel free to act on your desires. If you do not want to visit this country or if you harbor a wish to leave, then act upon that wish. I know this may come as a shock to you both but noone else gives a rusty fuck what you choose to do. I have a feeling that you both would rather whine or play the part of a malcontent rather than do something that positive.
If it weren't for the pot, I doubt anyone would travel to Canada.
GW
13 - RJ
"Jim, trust me, you don't want to come here. Many of us don't want to *be* here."
Then...GO!
14 - jack e. jett
i am really starting to think that this gee dubs could really be bush himself.
it seems he can spew venom but can not take a spewing.
i think he is kind of funny. an obvious closet case..but a funny one at that.
jack e. jett
15 - Dawn
RJ
Where's all that non-partisan healing huh?
Jim, you are indeed welcome to come and visit, just ignore the drooling hillbilly fundamentalists - like the rest of us do.
16 - andy marsh
yup..you surely did ignore them...and they snuck in and stole a presidency right out from under your nose!
17 - Dawn
I don't think individuals given the right to vote under our constitution "stole" anything - they were just misinformed. It happens, I mean hell Nixon won - twice - so there you go.
We'll live - and further more, your pathetic goading is about as mature as taunting a mentally handicapped person.
Unless of course, you are handicapped? Are you handicapped? My apologies andy.
18 - Jim Carruthers
Since the US dollar is sinking, since the US administration endorses torture and does not recognize the rule of law, due process or international agreements, since most of your boroughs, counties and other municipalities are ridden with violence, overseen by corrupt and incompetent administration, since most of your populace are mere rude mobbs with no culture or attraction. since our populace is poor, ignorant, violent and disease ridden. Therefore, I choose to go to more attractive places.
I'd be better off traveling to some place which has at least a record of improving instead of corruption, destruction and decline.
I've seen the USA, it looks just like downtown Detroit.
19 - Jim Carruthers
Since the US dollar is sinking, since the US administration endorses torture and does not recognize the rule of law, due process or international agreements, since most of your boroughs, counties and other municipalities are ridden with violence, overseen by corrupt and incompetent administration, since most of your populace are mere rude mobbs with no culture or attraction. since your populace is poor, ignorant, violent and disease ridden. Therefore, I choose to go to more attractive places.
I'd be better off traveling to some place which has at least a record of improving instead of corruption, destruction and decline.
I've seen the USA, it looks just like downtown Detroit.
20 - andy marsh
I am handicapped dawn...I'm one of those ugly 'murricans that Jim likes to talk about so much...and your pathetic whining isn't much more mature.
It is a shame that all anyone remembers about Nixon is watergate...I mean, he did get this country out of vietnam...but hey...that was nothing.
21 - Mac Diva
So, Europe is the world?
22 - Shark
Wow.
All of those 'kind words' from world leaders...
Not surprising, since they fear the Crazed Cowboy might invade them next.
Wait... do any of those countries have oil?
23 - Jim Carruthers
Olay, they've got lots of oil. And they're getting more than market price for it. So, Shrub, you need to invade Olay, and their neighbour, Olive. It's all over there in Whateverstan, that part of the map which is, well, whatever. It's not far from Iraq, just take a left at Alberque.
24 - RJ
"i think he is kind of funny. an obvious closet case..but a funny one at that." [empahsis mine]
LOL...
25 - RJ
"your pathetic goading is about as mature as taunting a mentally handicapped person."
I agree that many Democrats are mentally-disabled.
Good analogy! :-D