President Bush: “Shut Up, You’re Crap!”

It’s been a funny end to the week. It started positively with Prime Minister Blair going on holiday and an immediate ceasefire taking place in Lebanon. (I wonder if there is a correlation?)

During the Midweak the news became a bit sour, trivial stories becoming major events i.e. airport and airline scare stories found out that there is a lack of training of airport security staff, there is a lack of up-to-date technology to detect liquid bombs and in general there is a lack of investment by airports authority. But to the common man it seems that this was too much of a big fuss and the Government was spinning this story to divert news from other matters.

News stories became better at the begining of the weekend when The Deputy Prime Minister of Great Britain came out privately and said that President Bush was crap and this followed by comments made by the China's ambassador to the United Nations telling the United States to "shut up and keep quiet" on the subject of Beijing's growing military spending. Read below for more details:

The “Crap” Statement
Taken from The Independent, Published: 18 August 2006

The remark is said to have been made at a private meeting in Mr Prescott's Whitehall office on Tuesday with Muslim MPs and other Labour MPs with constituencies representing large Muslim communities. Muslim MPs wanted to press home their objections to British foreign policy and discuss ways of improving relations with the Muslim communities.

Although he denies it in public, Harry Cohen who was in the same meeting said that Mr Prescott had definitely used the word "crap" about the Bush administration.

"He was talking in the context of the 'road map' in the Middle East. He said he only gave support to the war on Iraq because they were promised the road map. But he said the Bush administration had been crap on that. We all laughed and he said to an official, 'Don't minute that'." Mr Cohen added: "We also had a laugh when he said old Bush is just a cowboy with his Stetson on. But then he said, 'I can hardly talk about that can I?'

It seems that he was not the only Member of Parliament that shared that view. The Independent asked a group of Labour MPs what they though of John Prescott's outburst

Ian Davidson Glasgow South West MP
"I think that John Prescott is to be commended for the quality of his political analysis. His comment on American policy is brief and accurate. Britain has got to ensure that it is no longer seen as simply being the glove puppet of the United States."

Glenda Jackson Hampstead and Highgate MP
"I entirely endorse his view. This is why Parliament should be recalled. This government is failing miserably as far as our approach towards the Middle East is concerned. We are simply... bag carriers for Bush and all his policies have been a disaster."

David Crausby Bolton North East MP
"One of the most disappointing aspects of the Iraq resolution is that we stuck our neck out and supported the Americans... on the understanding that the road map would be there but it's not been delivered at all. It's virtually been forgotten."

Ann Cryer Keighley MP
"I have no doubt that there is a very large number of Labour MPs who will be agreeing with what John Prescott is alleged to have said. I agree with it. There is huge concern and this goes right across the Labour back bench."

Jim Sheridan Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP
"I think he is right. I don't think the Americans have given the road map the priority it deserves and until you solve the problem of Palestine, other problems are going to appear. Every time Palestine comes up the agenda it gets... put on the back-burner."

Peter Kilfoyle Liverpool Walton MP
"What he is reported to have said reflects the views of many people in the Labour Party. It may not go down well in international diplomacy... but in the Labour Party it will be welcomed as a rare flash of honesty from a senior member of the Government."

Ken Livingstone Mayor of London
"I have no idea what John Prescott did or did not say since it was a private conversation, but... the current US administration has been a disaster for the American people and has done untold damage not only to international relations but to the environment."

Jon Trickett Hemsworth MP
"The actions and language of the British Government are actively hindering the prospects for peace in the Middle East; simultaneously enhancing the threat from terrorism... Our historic influence with Arab countries has been squandered."

John Austin Erith and Thamesmead MP
"If John Prescott did say it, then it touches a chord with many of us... American foreign policy is a major contributor to the crisis in the Middle East... and its failure to ensure adherence to UN resolutions regarding Palestine, and its failure to progress the road map."

Martin Salter Reading West MP
"It is abundantly clear that the Bush administration has been less than enthusiastic in pursuing the Middle East road map, and indeed many of its policies have actually inflamed the situation rather than sought to resolve this long-standing conflict."

The Bush administration reacted to John Prescott's frank assessment of the President's abilities by saying he had been called worse in the past and would likely be called worse in the future.
In other words – Were not bothered!


The “Shut Up” Statement
Taken from Yahoo World News, Published: 18 August 2006

China's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Sha Zukang responded to a BBC radio interview about jitters within the Bush administration about Beijing's spiralling military budget, Sha said the United States itself accounts for half of the entire world's military spending.

"The China population is six times or five times that of the United States," he said. "Why blame China? ... It's better for the US to shut up and keep quiet. It's much, much better."

His voice rising, Sha continued: "It's the US's sovereign right to do whatever they deem good for them -- but don't tell us what is good for China. Thank you very much!"

Some basic facts:
In March the National People's Congress (parliament), approved a 14.7-percent increase in military spending to 35 billion dollars (27 billion euros) this year.

Although this is paltry compared to the 419 billion dollar (325 billion euro) US defence budget in 2006, the Pentagon last year estimated that China's defence spending was two to three times the publicly announced figure – Big Deal!