Misleader Home A Daily Chronicle of Bush Administration Distortion
Photo: Collage of President Bush and White House
Navigation: Who We Are Navigation: Special Reports Navigation: Ask the Experts Navigation: Feedback Navigation: Donate Navigation: Tell a Friend Navigation: Contact Us




A Daily Chronicle of Bush Administration Distortion June 3, 2004

     

Bush Takes Orders from Dictators on Mideast Democracy



In a speech at the U.S. Air Force Academy, President Bush "maintained the spread of democracy in the Middle East will undercut the stagnation and despair that feeds terrorist ideologies." He claimed, "we're standing for human rights and political freedom,1 often at great personal risk." What he did not say was that earlier this year, the president put aside efforts to promote democracy in the Mideast after the plan was denounced by his friends in the Saudi Arabian government.2

Last November, Bush delivered a highly-touted speech3 about the need to spread democracy in the Mideast. But when it came time to act, the New York Times reported Bush "set aside his plan4 to issue a sweeping call for economic, political and cultural reform in the Middle East" after it was denounced by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. In dropping his plans, Bush followed the demands of two dictators who are regularly criticized by his own State Department5 for their undemocratic practices and human rights abuses.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Yesterday, the Daily Mislead said the company Accenture was formerly called Arthur Andersen. In fact, Accenture was formerly Andersen Consulting, which was a part of Andersen Worldwide with Arthur Andersen.6 We regret the error.

Sources:
  1. Presidential Speech, WhiteHouse.gov, 06/02/04.
  2. The New York Times, 03/12/04.
  3. Presidental Speech, WhiteHouse.gov, 11/06/03.
  4. "U.S. Muffles Sweeping Call To Democracy In Mideast," The New York Times, 3/12/04.
  5. Secretary Powell's briefing on the 2003 Human Rights Report press release, US Department of State, 02/25/04.
  6. "Arthur Andersen, Andersen Consulting Must Split Up," SmartMoney.com, 8/07/00.



Misleader Archive