by DemFromCT
Whereas the usual suspects in the press are handling Bush's Excellent Adventure overseas as a bold and, well, bold excursion into Eastern European politics, a few of the outlets are scratching the surface to look at the realities vs. the rhetoric.
CJR puts it thusly:
The president's trip this past week to Russia and several former Soviet republics provided a great opportunity for him to spin and extol the so-called "Bush doctrine" of democracy promotion. And you can bet he took it. He rattled a few Russian cages while visiting Latvia and Moscow over the weekend by calling for democratic reforms in eastern Europe, and he is venturing to the former Soviet republic of Georgia to visit President Mikhail Saakashvili (or, as nearly every media report phrased it, "US-educated president Saakashvili") and to praise democratic reforms there. Saakashvili came to power in January 2004 after leading the peaceful "Rose Revolution" that ousted a corrupt regime, and Bush is making a larger point about fledgling democracies (nudge, nudge, Russia) when he lifts the peaceful Georgian example up as one to be emulated.
All this is inspiring stuff, but we would still hope that reporters covering the trip would take a closer look at the reality behind the rhetoric. You would be hard pressed, however, to find anyone this week mentioning the fact that while the president is extolling the virtues of democracy in eastern Europe, U.S.-funded democracy-building programs for the region have been slashed by 38 percent, while those for the former Soviet Union have been cut 46 percent in recent years, according to a Washington Post story back in March.
An excellent corrective (as least as far as Georgia is concerned) for some of these lapses by the media ran in today's Christian Science Monitor. Irakly Areshidze -- a strategist in the November 2003 and March 2004 parliamentary election campaigns of Georgia's opposition New Conservative Party -- writes of the realities of political and press freedom under Saakashvili.
What's evident is that Bush remains a believer in the idea that leaders and rulers are what matters, not the people. He'll take an enthusiastic crowd cheering for America and assume it's for himself alone, as in Georgia. He'll assume US-Russian relations are all about whether he and Putin got along that evening. He'll assume much and the press will forget about all the times in recent history that the US backed the wrong horse, much to the dismay of the locals.
In short, he treats Europe like he treats the blue states (and half the U.S. voting population)... something to ignore except when pressed to negotiate, or when there's a good photo op to be had.
From the Times (UK):
Among those awarded a “60 years of victory” medal by President Putin yesterday was General Wojciech Jaruzelski, who as Communist leader of Poland instituted martial law in December 1981, suppressing the free trade union Solidarity.
President Klaus of the Czech Republic, also among the guests, criticised the award, recalling that Polish troops had been among the invading Soviet-led Warsaw Pact forces that put down Czechoslovakia’s “Prague Spring” reform movement in August 1968.
Another great moment in the "freedom is on the march" newsreel you won't see on your cable network any time soon.
this editorial from the Boston Globe says it well:
Posted by: DemFromCT | May 10, 2005 at 08:21
Good point about treating Europe like blue states. But here's a question: other than Pope John Paul II's funeral, what's the last visit he made to Europe where he appeared before a crowd in a country with widespread opposition to the war in Iraq? The last visit I can remember was to Ireland about a year ago, but I can't think of anything since.
I guess we'll see what the reception is when he stops in the Netherlands. (I wonder if Page got a ticket to an event in The Netherlands; I'd love to hear her ask a question in Dutch.)
Posted by: DHinMI | May 10, 2005 at 09:12
The Netherlands visit and public appearance is already over, and they kicked the press out as soon as the local teenagers started asking questions.
Posted by: Kagro X | May 10, 2005 at 10:10
So I guess Page did get in, huh?
Oh, my comment shows what can happen when you spend most of your weekend cutting down trees and splitting firewood instead of reading the newspaper.
Posted by: DHinMI | May 10, 2005 at 10:22
What happens? You get elected preznit?
Posted by: Kagro X | May 10, 2005 at 10:56
round-up of European commentary by the WaPo is here.
The US still benefits from 'the enemy of my enemy (Russia) is my friend'.
Posted by: DemFromCT | May 10, 2005 at 10:58
Nice article out there...Keep it up,,,
Posted by: Juno888 | May 16, 2007 at 02:01
..good site..!It would be a good thing for the United States and its allies if Bush, listening to Putin say yesterday in Red Square
Posted by: Juno888 | June 19, 2007 at 01:38
Good site! I'll stay reading! Keep improving!
Posted by: Nika | November 10, 2007 at 02:40