President Bush to visit next Month
 

It is a welcome development that US President George W Bush will visit five African countries early next month.

Bush will be in South Africa on July 9, where he and his delegation will meet with South African president Thabo Mbeki at the Union Buildings.

Africa is a continent that holds an enormous appeal to travelers, and although the American president will not have time to explore the African bush on his short visit, his arrival nevertheless is a significant vote of confidence in the future of Africa.

More: www.e-gnu.com/george-bush-africa-visit.html

Is Bush perhaps announcing a new health or education program? An extension of No Child Left Behind? Is this some new Karl Rove strategy to garner minority votes in the US next year? Is there a reason?

I do not have the details but I do remember that the President announced a huge increase in funding for AIDS research and treatment. Something along the lines of $10Billion USD. What better place to push that program than Africa?

MM

Yes, President Bush needs to help lead global effort to fight AIDS in Africa. I am glad he's visiting to show his support. I haven't alsways been his biggest fan, LOL.
Did you know that the Mid-East peace conference was held at Spier? They were telling us about the security and how crazy it was there.Hope Colin Powell got to enjoy some good wine...

Oh, it's true that Bush announced a new AIDS initiative for $15 B. Surprised everyone. Announced is the key word. Now, did anyone notice the details - how many years, source of the funds, reactions by the Congressional appropriations committees? How many of you are going to watch for the next six years just to make sure he delivers the $15 B? Anybody notice the Federal deficit is now approaching $600 B per year? Guess what gets cut.

Time,etc-
I'm glad you posted the details. When he made the speech, as he walked off the stage, he told his guy in a low voice, OK kill the program. I saw they said they'd stop all other aid to Africa to pay for the AIDs program. It just makes me sick to hear him talk and all the poor folks who really need help, cheer and jump up and down only to find out the details later that they aren't getting anything out of him. A real tragedy how he dupes them. Pity!

Liz, I wrote to President Bush about how sorry I think his foreign policy is. He wrote back, actually signed the letter (not autopen!), telling me how much he appreciated my support. Thank you, W. for that close read!

George, 70% plus love you. Oddly, that's also the percentage of people permanently asleep in the US.

One point: we have tax cuts, a structural deficit in the Federal Budget, and an economy that is limping, to say the best. George Bush is fast shutting down any domestic help that the US deserves from its government.

I hope everyone likes the tax cut. Just a question: how do we pay for the programs this country needs to survive?

Please, keep him!!!!!!!!!!

Tiimeisonmyside -

Right on! Carl Rove is pulling the strings of his puppet again. Let's get rid of both of them!

Certainly Africa needs the aid, but so do lots of Americans.

New Yorker did a piece on Bush's Brain, Karl Rove, two months ago. Puppet Master is correct, Sandi!!! That guy has had a conservative strategy in place since his college days. Their plan is simple and sweepong - remove government from the domestic scene and reemphasize private sources from everything. They want to have decades long effects like FDR had. These cats are turning the US into an island hated by the world. Check out the latest Pew Memorial Trust survey on what other countries think about the US. Bad days ahead!

Tiimeisonmyside - Yes I did read the article. Scary, very scary!

Another photo op for W's re-election - not unlike W landing on the aircraft carrier and declaring the war in Iraq over. Over! Over? So why are soldiers (Americans and British) still being killed. They managed to get the "War over quickly", but had no plans for what to do once it was.

When will some Americans wake up?

When did this turn into a forum for bashing our President. This is not the place for that. Please find somewhere else to conduct this bashing.

When we speak of W., we use the little "p."

Oh, I wasn't bashing the president. I was merely suggesting that Africa may likewise benefit from his political and economic skills and brand of compassionate conservatism.

What about enrolling pres. W. in the Peace Corps?

Well, we're part of the 70% who approve of the job he has done, so if this is going to turn into a political forum, I'll go elsewhere for travel talk. I come here to get away from that stuff for a little while.

Teresa and Greg-
Sorry you feel as you do. Why not just skip this one thread? It is clearly labeled, why must you read it if it bothers you?
You really haven't been here very long or contributed much so far, but please stay and participate. I would recommend you avoid the posters you don't care for. When I open a thread and see it is from someone I don't care for I just move on to another thread. I don't feel I have to say anything unless the person is posting on every thread about the same thing and it isn't pertinent to that thread.
Since this is your second post on this thread, I wonder why you clicked on it again since it clearly bothered you the first time you saw it.
But as I say, you are welcome to learn and participate as you go along, but just click past if it bothers you.
I feel I want to add that I am not trying to be smart or patronizing, I just didn't see why you felt so strongly about this thread that you would leave the board because of it.
Lonely Planet also has some good posts but they really tend to be packpackers and trekkers. Never the less, they are quite interesting and entertaining, and enlightening if you've never been to Africa before. Actually even if you have. :-d Liz
P.S. I am not the board monitor. :-d

Liz, You are correct. I guess this thread just kind of struck a nerve with me because all of the comments seemed so one-sided, but it is only one thread out of the many that I have enjoyed reading here.

Well, do stick around and I'll find something nice to say about W. Now, there's a good offer. Liz makes a lot of sense as usual. She's not bad on Africa either. Welcome to Fodors!

Thanks you guys. But please don't get all maudlin about W. I like to vent once in a while. Its people like you folks that make my day. By the way, have a good one.