AP
WASHINGTON - President Bush said Friday the death of Yasser Arafat provides "a great chance to establish a Palestinian state" and a broader Middle East peace.
At a joint White House news conference, Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged their support for a fresh stab at Israeli-Palestinians peace negotiations.
"We'll hold their feet to the fire to make sure that democracy prevails," Bush said.
"We're going to work flat out to deliver this," Blair said.
The president said it was up to Palestinians to elect a democratic government and Arafat's successors to allow freedoms to take root.
Bush, whose policy in Iraq frayed relations with France, Germany and other traditional allies, also said he intends to travel to Europe as soon as possible after his second inaugural, on Jan. 20.
He said he looked forward to using the "combined strength of Europe and America" to advance freedom.
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I'm not a Arafat fan, but this seems a bit ill-timed. They just put him in the ground today (after his people climbed all over his casket). It looks like they are dancing on his newly dug grave...
Bush: "We'll hold their feet to the fire to make sure that democracy prevails," What's next? "and then we'll brand 'em just like we do in Texas!" Who's feet is he going to hold? Sounds like he got confused and was giving his Iraq speech.
He is such an embarassment...
WASHINGTON - President Bush said Friday the death of Yasser Arafat provides "a great chance to establish a Palestinian state" and a broader Middle East peace.
At a joint White House news conference, Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged their support for a fresh stab at Israeli-Palestinians peace negotiations.
"We'll hold their feet to the fire to make sure that democracy prevails," Bush said.
"We're going to work flat out to deliver this," Blair said.
The president said it was up to Palestinians to elect a democratic government and Arafat's successors to allow freedoms to take root.
Bush, whose policy in Iraq frayed relations with France, Germany and other traditional allies, also said he intends to travel to Europe as soon as possible after his second inaugural, on Jan. 20.
He said he looked forward to using the "combined strength of Europe and America" to advance freedom.
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I'm not a Arafat fan, but this seems a bit ill-timed. They just put him in the ground today (after his people climbed all over his casket). It looks like they are dancing on his newly dug grave...
Bush: "We'll hold their feet to the fire to make sure that democracy prevails," What's next? "and then we'll brand 'em just like we do in Texas!" Who's feet is he going to hold? Sounds like he got confused and was giving his Iraq speech.
He is such an embarassment...