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Politics : Bush Administration's Media Manipulation--MediaGate? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Rock_nj who wrote (2787)	5/7/2005 1:06:16 PM
From: Skywatcher	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 9838

well the DUTCH have no problem seeing through the curtain with the withering WIZARD behind it.... Thousands protest Bush Dutch visit MAASTRICHT, Netherlands (AP) -- Thousands of anti-war activists protested U.S. President George W. Bush's visit to the Netherlands on Saturday, saying the man who started the Iraq war should not pay tribute to those who died in World War II for Dutch freedom. Bush will attend a ceremony Sunday marking the 60th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe at the Margraten battlefield cemetery 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Maastricht, where the graves of 8,300 American servicemen are spread neatly over a grassy hill. The thousands of demonstrators who turned out in Amsterdam and Maastricht injected a note of public discord into Bush's four-nation trip, which also includes Latvia, Russia and Georgia, where he is expected to receive warmer welcomes. Police issued a permit for 100 demonstrators to be outside Maastricht Airport for the arrival of Air Force One. "It is an insult that this president is coming to visit our war cemetery. He is the cause of a lot of agony in the world that is feeding fear and anger," said Nina Bocken, a 23-year-old Maastricht therapist wearing a homemade shirt with Bush's picture on the front and "The Ultimate Weapon of Mass Destruction" written on the back. "Bush is not the one to go there. It is not right that a president who has begun a war -- and the war is still going on, just read the news every day -- that he is the one to pay tribute to the victims." Bush is deeply unpopular in the Netherlands, even though the Dutch government supported the U.S. decision to invade Iraq. Because of widespread public opposition to the war, it didn't send troops to Iraq until after major hostilities were over and withdrew them in March after an 18-month deployment, despite pleas from Washington. Last week several small anti-war groups asked a Dutch court to issue an arrest warrant for Bush when he steps onto Dutch soil. The court threw out the petition. A published poll last week said one-third of those questioned thought it would be better if Bush would not come to Margraten to mark the VE Day anniversary. Other polls have shown about two-thirds don't approve of the job Bush has done as U.S. president, and about half say the Dutch should not have participated in the Iraq coalition. Jos Zuidgeest, a member of the regional parliament in Maastricht, said he would stay away from the Margraten ceremony on Sunday because he thought Bush would use the World War II memorial to justify the war in Iraq. "We have to be grateful to the young Americans who died for our freedom," Zuidgeest said. "But Bush will try to draw a line from the past to the present, even if he doesn't mention the word 'Iraq."' The Dutch protests also focused on Bush's environmental policies and what many perceive as his high-handed conduct of policy that even influences domestic policies in Europe. "I feel like I've lost my human rights because of his war on terrorism," said Esme Cokbee, a civil servant, unhappy over Dutch laws extending police powers. "The Dutch government is just following their (the Americans') lead. Whatever they want, we do. I don't think that's right," she said. The turnout in Maastricht fell short of organizers' expectations -- about 300. But in Amsterdam, a colorful crowd of around 2,000 gathered on Museum Square to harangue Bush, including socialists, squatters, and everyday Dutch. Dutchwoman Anja Wassink came with her teenage daughter Simone, who carried a "Wanted: George W. Bush, terrorist," sign. "We came because we want to do something to show we don't agree" with Bush's policies, Anja said. She said she had never attended a protest before. One Iraqi man who addressed the crowd alleged he had witnessed atrocities committed by U.S. soldiers in Falujah, Iraq. "Mr. Bush, you killed our people but we will sue you," said Salam Ismael, introduced as an Iraqi doctor.