Bush's Asia Trip Meets Low Expectations

The Washington Post has got this story all wrong. Bush exceeded all expectations on this Asia trip. He really excelled himself. Hey! Maybe he wrote the speech himself. Never has he set himself up for this much mirth.

We heard him on the Today programme this morning making glowing comparisons between his America and Mongolia, where he is staying. Both overcame colonial status, he said and are characterised by horsemen riding across the plains.

Yessir! While the Americans massacred a few thousand Indians whose stone age tools could not withsatnd their cavalry and machine guns, the Mongolians conquered most of Asia and quite a bit of Europe with bows and arrows.

What do Mongolians and Americans have most in common?

No, Mr Bush, it is not escaping from colonisation. It is not riding horses. It is being history's greatest barbarian invaders and destroyers of civilisation. But not even the Mongolians saw as much despoiling of treasures as the Americans in Iraq. So many priceless relics stolen or destroyed.

We are not going to remember you as a new Ghengis Khan, though, Mr Bush. You will be seen as just another barbarian, who lost his way in the desert of the middle east.

The Mongols gave their name to a genetic inferiority, suffered by people who are gentle and loving. One day we may we refer to psychopathic egomaniacs with delusions of connection with God as Bushmen. No, that is unfair. Those are noble, primitive people of the Kalahari.

We already have an inclination to call ourselves "bushed" when we can't think straight any longer. Perhaps that expression can develop into something referring to a more permanent condition.
Perhaps it is something that happens to people when they are "bushwacked".

Bush's Asia Trip Meets Low Expectations: "Bush's Asia Trip Meets Low Expectations

By Peter Baker and Philip P. Pan
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, November 21, 2005; Page A01

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."