Mideast crisis drives Bush to 'colourful' language

Mon 17 Jul 2006 7:21 AM ET

(Adds quotes, details; Eds note strong language in paragraphs 1, 6)

 

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, July 17 (Reuters) - A microphone picked up an unaware U.S. President George W. Bush saying on Monday Syria should press Hizbollah to "stop doing this shit" and that his secretary of state may go to the Middle East soon.

 

Bush was talking privately to British Prime Minister Tony Blair during a lunch at the Group of Eight summit in St Petersburg about an upsurge of violence in the Middle East, not realising a microphone was transmitting what he said.

 

"I think Condi (Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice) is going to go pretty soon," Bush said.

 

Blair replied: "Right, that's all that matters, it will take some time to get that together." Rice said on Sunday she was thinking of going to the Middle East if it would help.

 

Blair said Rice has "got to succeed" if she goes to the region. Bush replied: "What they need to do is to get Syria to get Hizbollah to stop doing this shit."

 

The U.S. president blames Syria and Iran for supporting Hizbollah guerrillas operating in southern Lebanon.

 

Bush also seemed to complain about U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan wanting an immediate ceasefire to stop the violence between Israel and Hizbollah.

 

"I don't like the sequence of it," Bush said. "His attitude is basically ceasefire and everything else happens."

 

Blair said: "I think the thing that is really difficult is you can't stop this unless you get this international presence agreed."

 

G8 leaders, in a statement on Sunday, suggested the U.N. Security Council should consider an international security and monitoring presence along the Lebanese-Israeli border.

 

Later, Bush said he felt like telling Annan to telephone Syrian President Bashir Assad "and make something happen".

 

"We're not blaming Israel and we're not blaming the Lebanese government," he said.

 

The two leaders also appeared to chat about the Doha Round of world trade talks, stalled by lack of common ground among governments on farm subsidies and intellectual property rights.

 

"I just want some movement. Yesterday I didn't see much movement, the desire to move," said Bush.

 

"It may be that it's impossible," Blair replied.

 

Ultimately Blair noticed the microphone and hastily switched it off, but not before the recording had reached news media.

 

In the chummy conversation between long-time allies, Bush teased the British leader about a sweater Blair had apparently given him.

 

"Thanks for the sweater, it was awfully thoughtful of you. I know you picked it out yourself," Bush said.

 

"Oh, absolutely," said Blair.

 

:sick:

 

 

Makes me want to puke...

 

WATCH A CLIP FROM MSNBC HERE http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13901209/

Transcript: Bush's candid comments

 

Updated: 9:43 a.m. ET July 17, 2006

Not realizing his remarks were being picked up by a microphone, President Bush bluntly expressed his frustration with Hezbollah, and his preference for diet Coke during the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg. Read a transcript of his comments:

 

Bush to Putin: I gotta leave by 2:15. They want me out of town so they can free up your security forces.

 

No, just going to make it up. I'm not going to talk too long like the rest of them. Some of these guys talk too long.

 

Gotta go home. Got something to do tonight. How about you? Where are you going home? This is your neighborhood doesn't take you long to get home.

 

You eight hours? Me too. Russia’s a big country and you’re a big country. Takes him eight hours to fly home. Not Coke, diet Coke. Russia’s big and so is China.

 

Yo, Blair. What are you doing? Are you leaving?

 

Blair: No, not yet. On this trade thing…

 

Bush: Yeah, I told that to (inaudible). If you want me to. I just want some movement. Yesterday I didn't see much movement. The desire to move.

 

Blair: It may be that it’s impossible.

 

Bush: I'll be glad to say. Who's introducing me?

 

Blair: Angela

 

Bush: Well tell her to call on it. Well, tell her to put me on the spot.

 

Thanks for the sweater; it was awfully thoughtful of you. I know you picked it out yourself.

 

Blair: Oh, absolutely!

 

What about Kofi Annan? I don't like the sequence of it. His attitude is basically cease-fire and everything else happens.

 

I think the thing that is really difficult is you can’t stop this unless you get this international presence agreed.

 

Bush: She's going. I think Condi's going to go pretty soon.

 

Blair: Well that's all that matters. If you see, it will take some time to get out of there. But at least it gives people…

 

Bush: It's a process I agree. I told her your offer too.

 

Blair: Well it's only…or if she's gonna or if she needs the ground prepared as it were. See if she goes out, she's got to succeed as it were, where as I can just go out and talk.

 

Bush: See the irony is what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's over.

 

Blair: Because I think this is all part of the same thing. What does he think? He thinks if Lebanon turns out fine, if he gets a solution in Israel and Palestine, Iraq goes in the right way, he's done it. That's what this whole things about. It's the same with Iran.

 

Bush: I felt like telling Kofi to get on the phone with Assad and make something happen. We're not blaming Israel and we're not blaming the Lebanese government.

is this for real!!! :lol:

Yeah, I've seen it on news at 7:30 pm.

I love HRT they didn't even censor the "shit" word.

Bush's nickname for his pal Blair

 

Forget prime minister, Mr Blair, or even plain old Tony. The new way to address the prime minister, we learn, is "Yo Blair".

 

That at least is how George Bush greets the PM in private, according to unguarded remarks they both made in front of an open G8 microphone.

 

We also learn how Mr Blair refers to international commerce as "this trade thingy".

 

And there was some strong language used as well. The US president apparently believes the Middle East conflict could be ended if only pressure were put on Syria "to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit".

 

 

Who says Cherie Blair hasn't got guts? At the G8 summit her husband got it in the ear every time he voiced concerns about Russia's human rights record.

 

President Putin, who smarts at every jibe, retaliated by talking of "the fight against corruption" in Britain and referred in the same breath to Lord Levy, the PM's fundraiser.

 

The Russian president followed up by criticising Britain for sheltering a Chechen separatist who he believes is a terrorist.

 

Mrs Blair's response? She slipped quietly out of the summit and visited human rights activists in St Petersburg. Not only that - she even offered them free legal advice, which as a human rights lawyer she is qualified to provided.

 

Nevertheless all the elements of quite a diplomatic row were there and indeed lots of bushy Russian eyebrows were raised.

 

But Mr Putin's spokesman insisted Mrs Blair had every right to visit whoever she wanted and it just went to show that Russia did actually have some human rights groups after all.

 

As well as addressing the Middle East crisis and sorting out world trade, this was the summit that was supposed to abolish rain.

 

President Putin, we were told, had deployed air force jets to "seed" incoming clouds so they rained over Finland instead.

 

Inevitably St Petersburg was drenched in torrential rain for much of the weekend.

 

However, such was the organisers' lack of confidence in their president's promise that they provided the thousands of summiteers with an anorak.

 

At first we were rather sniffy, but as the heavens opened this rather natty blue waterproof became the must-wear item of St Petersburg.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk

In full: Bush and Blair's unguarded chat

 

A full transcript of the off-the-cuff conversation between US President George W Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair during a break at the G8 conference in Russia.

The president was caught on tape using an expletive as he described the actions of Hezbollah in attacking Israel.

 

The two men start by discussing an exchange of gifts:

 

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Bush: And thanks for the sweaters - I know you picked em out yourself...

 

Blair: Oh yes absolutely - in fact I knitted it!!!

 

(laughter)

 

Bush: What about Kofi Annan - he seems alright. I don't like his ceasefire plan. His attitude is basically ceasefire and everything sorts out.... But I think...

 

Blair: Yeah the only thing I think is really difficult is that we can't stop this without getting international presence agreed. I think what you guys have talked about which is the criticism of the [inaudible word). I am perfectly happy to try and see what the lie of the land is, but you need that done quickly because otherwise it will spiral.

 

Bush: Yeah I think Condi's [uS Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice) gonna go soon.

 

Blair: Well that's all that matters but if you... You see at least it gets it going.

 

Bush: I agree it's a process...I told her your offer too.

 

Blair: Well it's only if she needs the ground prepared as it were. If she goes out she HAS to succeed whereas I can just go and...

 

Bush: You see the irony is what they need to is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's all over...

 

Blair: Dunno... Syria....

 

Bush: Why?

 

Blair: Because I think this is all part of the same thing...

 

Bush: (with mouth full of bread) Yeah

 

Blair: Look - what does he think? He thinks if Lebanon turns out fine. If you get a solution in Israel and Palestine. Iraq goes in the right way

 

Bush: Yeah - he's [indistinct]

 

Blair: Yeah.... He's had it. That's what all this is about - it's the same with Iran

 

Bush: I felt like telling Kofi to call, to get on the phone to Assad and make something happen.

 

Blair: Yeah

 

BUSH: [indistinct] blaming Israel and [indistinct] blaming the Lebanese government....

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk

"Oh, I thought you were going to ask about the pig! he he" :smug:

 

...913 days... :dozey:

what is the big deal. he said shit. you say shit. i say shit. who the fuck cares? inconsequential bullshit.

No one seems to think it's a big deal but you... :rolleyes:

I cant belive I voted for blair in the last election.... *** runs of and tires to remember why ?

What more do you need as a headline? Reckon he'll buy a copy and frame it?

 

:lol: this is the funniest story all year! I think it was all publicity anyways... they knew they mics were on.. lol its all propaganda.. funny though!

you mean Blair has picked up on the Stitch & Bitch trend and is trying to appeal to younger voters? :laugh3:

haha, it seems, :laugh1: