Quake Offers Bush Chance To Advance Policy In Asia

WACO, Texas - The announcement by Asian leaders that they will hold a summit meeting Thursday in Jakarta, Indonesia, to coordinate aid for victims of the tsunami presents the White House with the first of many choices about whether to seize on a sudden disaster to change the nature of how President Bush approaches Asia in his second term.
Until now, the region has fit into Bush's grand strategy primarily as a second front in his battle against terrorism, and as a place where future conflicts - with North Korea, between China and Taiwan or India and Pakistan - must be defused. But beyond that, his agenda has been modest, at best.

Now, as the United States joins the rush to deliver aid to the region, some officials inside the administration and many outside experts say Bush has a chance, particularly in Indonesia, to advance the cause he talked about so often in the presidential campaign: supporting the spread of democracy.

``No one could have seen this coming,'' John Lewis Gaddis, a professor of history at Yale, said Saturday. ``But it represents an opportunity to try to move beyond the frustration of Iraq and pre-emption and his tensions with the Islamic world. It is an example of an area where the U.S., with its financial resources and its logistical capability, can work in a cause that no one can argue with.''

more.....
http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGBKYAGRG3E.html

So we're going to spread American-style democracy, where you don't know if your vote counted or not, to other countries in Asia?

Aren't we spread a little thin right now?

Leave it to bushco: a natural disaster turns into a bargain basement sale for them.

first of all, where are these financial resources we're supposedly going to flex in the region going to come from?

Secondly check this out:

On Saturday, as the president relaxed on the last day of his weeklong vacation at his Texas ranch, officials said they were doubtful that he would join the prime ministers of Japan and Australia and other leaders at the meeting in Jakarta.

Yeah, he just can't be bothered with that. Hell he didn't cut his vacation short for one of the worst natural disasters of our time!

And this is just flat-out FALSE:

In a symbolic move, he also ordered American flags lowered to half-staff Monday through Friday, an unusual measure for foreign disasters.

Actually, that move is used for disasters. Where did they get this information? I've been wondering since it happened why we haven't been flying our flags at half mast!

gives him the opportunity to "spread Democracy" to Indonesia? And the huge numbers of U.S. military sent over there (as discussed on other threads here), indicates this is an all-out (oddly well-planned effort) to spread Bushco's brand of military Democracy to non-white 3rd world (many of them non-Christian). Interesting...
No wonder India denied our aid.

Can't believe this article came out and said what "an opportunity" it is for Bush. The suspiciously large scope and timing of this disaster...I don't know. The thought of another possible 9/11 type tragedy on Bush's "watch" not being prevented when some authorities knew and failed to notify, is just too sickening.

It's always about strings attached. I hate to say this, but the US has always been this way, to an extent, it just has never been this bad.

It reminds me of missionary groups who go into impoverished areas and help the people in exchange for their souls and their membership on the church rolls.

You can't get something for nothing with repukes! NEVAH!

but the Chimperor blew it mightily by staying holed up at the pig farm, doing lines or wanking or choking on pretzels or whatever he does when he goes on one of his multitudinous vacations. By not saying anything, then offering a crappy $15M, then raising the "offer" (which included loans) to a still-inadequate $35M, then after three days he finally makes a statement and, after a bunch of other countries shamed him by coming up with much greater pledges, at last comes up with $350M -- he looks like a totally insensitive ass and destroyed all credibility. Anything he tries to do after this will be seen for what it is -- nothing more than an attempt to save face.

*shudder*

Hope he stays in his hole in Crawford. :(

that Howard Dean, a moderate, stole that line from Paul Wellstone.

Good luck with that.

without attribution. That doesn't offend your sensibilities at all?

already on the disaster scene, there's been some VERY BROAD planning going on.
I'm just worried what these poor people are going to "owe" Bushco.

I've been thinking about all this touting of how great we are for sending our troops to help out with disaster relief, and I'm wondering if this will just be another reason for those like OBL to spin this into another reason to mistrust and hate America.

Don't get me wrong. I realize that our military is trained to do this job, and probably can do this a lot better than anyone else. I support the troops wherever they may go, and wish them the best. But OBL's main call is and has always been the removal of American troops from Muslim lands. I think this will just set off the terrorists. If we're going there to help, we better be in and out quickly. Otherwise, I'm afraid we're going to see more terrorists attacks against our brave men and women there in Indonesia.

Because that's exactly where every single dime of it will come from.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, in Asia that can rub two neurons together and get a spark believes that Bush is going to improve our image in Asia. Fer christsakes the chinese just announced that they plan on annexing Taiwan and we better shut up about it.

China has our nuts in a vise and they know it. Thanks Wal-Mart.

China is threathing military response if Taiwan go ahead and declare independent.
Taiwan has always being part of China
China has never use military force in an agressive manner
They waited for Hong Kong to return to the fold
They waited for Macau
They will wait for Taiwan
OF course if Taiwan want to declare independent thats a different story
Dont know which nutcase put ideas in their head of declaring independent but its a sure fire way to lost it completely
Please note that China has the means and the capability to take back Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan back anytime but they just let time take its course.
So if the Taiwan goverment want to force the issue then they themself are to blame. China will attack. Then US will have to decide wheather they want in on this fight.
Also note China has pact with Russia, India and Brazil.

and India might be exceptions, yes? Granted, compared to the US,
china has been very militarily silent in its approach. But let us not
forget the genocide of tibet at chinese hands... really a genocide and
even today, the PLA are up to no good in Tibet.

Hmm I forgot about that
Yup military force was use on Tibet..
Then again what lead to it must also be study...
I cant comment need to read up on those issue...

He invaded two Asian countries in the span of four years. This is modesty?

coincidental, and 'fortunate' for Bushco's World plans.

You don't think it was an earthquake? And where would an 'earthquake' have to take place, in your mind, for it NOT to benefit "Bushco's World plans?" Iran? Siberia? California? Turkey? Japan?

Ya think many people know that were are deployed, officially, in over 140 countries?

<http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&pageid=70670>

at Newmont Gold Mining Corporation's Indonesian site ...oh and to spring their executives from jail in Jakarta ...

Newmont is a huge Bush supporter here in Nevada with the other gold mining companies, they helped bring Cheney and Gail Norton to our town before the election. This Indonesian mine has produced huge amounts of gold for this corporation ....

http://www.forbes.com/facesinthenews/2004/12/23/1223autofacescan01.html?partner=yahoo&referrer=

Indonesia court says Newmont detentions illegal
Thu Dec 23, 2004 06:10 AM ET
JAKARTA, Dec 23 (Reuters) - An Indonesian court said on Thursday the detention of five executives of a local unit of U.S. gold miner Newmont Mining Corp. earlier this year was illegal.
But the court said its decision had no bearing on plans by prosecutors to bring a pollution case against the executives and subsidiary PT Newmont Minahasa Raya to trial.

http://yahoo.reuters.com/financeQuoteCompanyNewsArticle.jhtml?duid=mtfh14503_2004-12-23_11-10-33_jak160713_newsml

and Sock Puppet was waiting for his orders and a speech. NOw that the Junta has figured out how to best take advantage they are moving ahead with plans. btw China is also cozy with Iran where lots of oil is being purchased. Oh, and Indonesia has the largest Muslim population asided from the ME. It has been said by the CIA that ObL traveled there right after the U.S invaded Afghanistan. Almost all reports after that state that he is on the border of Pakistan. Maybe those reports just give the excuse for the U.S and Pakistan to keep killing Afghanis in that region.

The Amerikan Junta will surely exploit this tragedy in every manner possible.

We're going to make disaster relief aid contigent upon suppression of family planning and abortion rights. No, no, wait, I've got it: we'll provide billions in aid monies to be administered exclusively by Haliburton, which will take the money and then overcharge tsunami victims for services. Geez, where's my thinking? We're going to make it part of the faith-based initiatives and give the money to crack evangelical proselytizing units to convert the heathen. You want some penicillin? Renounce your false worship and embrace the true God: Jerry Falwell. How's the old Republican saying go? "When you got 'em by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow."

Here, as elsewhere--no reason in their minds why it can't be a benefit to *somebody*.