Jordanian king postpones meeting with Bush

[jburton]

Jordanian king postpones meeting with Bush

Palace says U.S. backing for Mideast peace process unclear

The Associated Press

Updated: 6:36 p.m. ET April 19, 2004AMMAN, Jordan - King Abdullah II postponed a meeting scheduled with President Bush in Washington because of questions about the U.S. commitment to the Middle East peace process, according to a statement the palace issued Monday night.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4781708/

[MasonJar]

1. Touche', Prince. Don't you just love it.

[Tellurian]

2. BUSHWorld goes Kaplooey!

from your link, jb...

"The statement said the king sent a letter to Bush on April 8 in which he stressed the Jordanian position regarding ways to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through implementing the road map."

"In his letter, Abdullah said an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza must be part of the road map peace plan and not an alternative to it."

"Despite the dramatic step of postponing a meeting with the president, the palace statement said: “Jordan sees that the contents of his majesty’s letter to Bush comprises significant elements for the continuation of discussions between the American and Jordanian sides.”

and this additional piece:

Bush Tosses Match

Into Mideast Tinderbox

President Bush's abrupt swing in policy on West Bank settlements won't advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians. It won't advance stability in Iraq or win friends among moderates elsewhere in the Muslim world. It's not even clear that it advances Bush's re-election prospects. What was he thinking?

Among the elements of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's unilateral plan that Bush endorsed last week was making permanent some of Israel's settlements in the occupied West Bank. According to a senior Israeli official, Sharon believes that no president had ever made such an important concession.

Previous administrations had held that the settlements were obstacles to peace in an area with more than enough impediments. And by inflaming Muslim opinion throughout the world and reinforcing the perception of U.S. favoritism toward Israel, it is a wider threat to peace and stability.

link:interestalert.com/brand/siteia.shtml?Story=st/sn/04180000aaa0682a.albu&Sys=siteia&Fid=OPINIONS&Type=News&Filter=Opinions|Link]

[Tellurian]

3. This does not bode very well for Bush if

he has upset King Abdullah!

[Moderator]

4. Please discuss here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x497744