Bush: U.S. would aid Israel if attacked

Dakstang

MMA Moderator

This comes from cnn.com.

Bush: U.S. would aid Israel if attacked

Talks between U.S., Israel leaders focus on borders, Iran, Hamas



Tuesday, May 23, 2006; Posted: 10:23 p.m.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said Tuesday that the United States would come to Israel's aid if it were attacked by Iran and welcomed the Jewish state's plan to define its borders.

He made the comments at the White House during a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert after a meeting between the two leaders. It was Olmert's first official visit to the United States as prime minister.

Bush also praised Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and called on the Hamas-led Palestinian government to meet international demands.

Israeli officials have joined the United States in voicing outrage over Iran's moves to enrich uranium, which could be used to build nuclear weapons, in light of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent calls for the destruction of Israel.

Iran's leaders have insisted that they are pursuing a nuclear program solely for peaceful purposes, a claim challenged by the United States and much of the international community.

"The prime minister and I shared our concerns about the Iranian regime's nuclear weapons ambitions," Bush said. "The United States and the international community have made our common position clear: We're determined that the Iranian regime must not gain nuclear weapons.

"I told the prime minister what I've stated publicly before: Israel is a close friend and ally of the United States. And in the event of any attack on Israel, the United States will come to Israel's aid," Bush said.

The president added, "We're on the cusp of going to the [U.N.] Security Council" on the issue.

Olmert, who is to address Congress on Wednesday, said there will be no peace with the Hamas-led Palestinian government unless it accepts Israel's right to exist, ends terrorism against Israel and honors previous agreements between between Israel and the Palestinians.

Until Hamas won parliamentary elections in January, Fatah was the dominant force in Palestinian politics. Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Israel.

Olmert said he plans to meet with Abbas "in the near future," and called him "genuine and sincere" in his desire for a peace accord.

However, Olmert recently dismissed Abbas -- a member of the ousted Fatah Party -- in a CNN interview as "powerless" and unable to "seriously negotiate with Israel."

Bush had words of praise for the Palestinian leader.

"Abbas favors and speaks out for peace and negotiations, yet the Hamas-led Palestinian government does not," he said.

Olmert said Tuesday that Israel is unwilling to wait "indefinitely" for the Palestinians to change. "If we come to the conclusion that no progress is possible, we will be compelled to try a different route," he said.

Redrawing the borders
Israel is determined, he said, to define its borders in the next three or four years -- with or without Palestinian help.

Under one option, Israel would remove most of the Jewish settlements in the West Bank. The major population centers of Samaria and Judea would remain and eventually become part of Israel, he said.

Bush also praised Olmert's plan to withdraw from some settlements in the West Bank, saying the prime minister's "bold ideas" could be "an important step toward the peace we both support."

A unilateral redrawing of the border would not be the preferred route, Bush said, adding that he and Olmert agree "a negotiated final status agreement best serves both the Israelis and the Palestinians and the cause of peace."

In an attempt to further isolate Hamas, the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a resolution 361-37 that would bar all dealings with Hamas -- including restrictions on private aid money to Palestinians. (Full story)

The House resolution also would deny U.S. visas to any members of the Palestinian Authority.

The White House already has cut off funds for the Hamas-led government until it recognizes Israel's right to exist and renounces acts of terrorism.

"No country can be expected to make peace with those who deny its right to exist and who use terror to attack its population," Bush said Tuesday.

The White House has said it will increase humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, and Olmert said Tuesday that Israel will spend about $11 million to provide medical equipment and drugs for the Palestinian people.

"We will spend any amount of money needed in order to save the lives of innocent Palestinians suffering from the indifference of their government," he said.

On Monday the Israeli prime minister met with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Tuesday, before the White House visit, with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Olmert, a former Jerusalem mayor, took over as acting prime minister when his predecessor, Ariel Sharon, suffered a massive stroke in early January, and their Kadima party went on to win parliamentary elections in March.

Sharon is still on life support. The Israeli Cabinet on April 12 declared Sharon permanently incapacitated.
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I support President Bush 100% on this.

Stop talkin' bout stayin' the course
You keep on beatin' that old dead horse
You know they lied about why we went to War
I can't take it no more

The Dude

Believe it or not, I believe in the support of Israel as well. Of course my support comes from a more religious standpoint and not a political one.

When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fullfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and be taken as prisoners to all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
...At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
Luke 21:20-28

K Jay

I think if both Israel and Iran suffered nuclear attacks from one another it my stabilise the entire region. Once these zealots realise what they're fucking with it may bring them round to the fact they can't use the rhetoric they currently use and they have to find a peiceful means of co-existance. Horoshima shocked both the west and communists into peace for over 60 years (even if the first 45 of those were peice through over-armed fear) I wonder if bombs in Tehran and Jerusalam would stop conflict between Jews and Arabs once and for all.

I had a sig, once.

Tyler Durden

When will all the leaders of the world learn.

Everything could be settled with an annual Royal Rumble match between all of them with the winner getting to be in charge of the world for a whole year.

At last, a mature solution to the world's ills

K Jay

Thats proposturous and just the kind of stupid remark I'd expect from you on an issue that is much more important than you're making out yet again.

Obviously a ladder match is the only gimmick that would work in this scenario.

I had a sig, once.

Tyler Durden

You're displaying total ignorance of both the subject matter and the history involved. A "Rumble" is clearly the way to go due to the number of participants involved.

As Pat Patterson, the creator of the Rumble match, once said "I have a dream" (granted it was probably about Randy Orton lubed up with a tin of petroleum jelly, a gimp maks and a large piece of fruit, but it was a dream god damn it)

K Jay

Actually with all participants holding alliances with other participants it could well be argued that the correct match would be a two ring War Games type. And to be quite frank we cannot entrust the booking of a match to decide the future of this planet to the type of man who has a detailed insight to Pat Patterson's dreams.

I had a sig, once.

Tyler Durden

Fine let someone with proven experience as a wrestling booker book this.

Give it to Vince

What's the betting that by the end of the match the world is split into two and Shane and Steph are the co-owners of McMahonland East and McMahonland West

K Jay

Now we're making progress, I feel we're missing some sort of roadmap tho.

I had a sig, once.

Dakstang

MMA Moderator

That is the reason of my support of this as well, it is also the reason I voted for President Bush because John Kerry would have never said that.

When I vote for a candidate I take into consideration their religous beliefs, or lack thereof, because some important decisions may come down to those religious beliefs.

Stop talkin' bout stayin' the course
You keep on beatin' that old dead horse
You know they lied about why we went to War
I can't take it no more