And the missile defense system should say, we can work together

While in the Czech Republic, Bush was presented by Defense Minister Vlasta Parkanova with a CD in which she sang (she used to be a jazz musician; the former president was a playwright: it’s a Czech thing) a song in praise of the missile defense base to the tune of an old Communist-era song, “Good Afternoon, Mr. Gagarin.”

I have some pictures from yesterday to burn off:


“Ew, he’s sniffing his hand again.”
“Oh please mein Gott, not another back rub.”
At the G8, Bush and Blair met for the very last time of Blair’s premiership. So many memories, all of which Blair will spend the rest of his life trying to repress. Unsuccessfully, if there is any justice in the world.


Someday, he’ll be a real boy.
The main subjects were AIDS in Africa and global warming. Bush bounced back and forth between them disconcertingly: “And as we discuss global climate change, it’s really important we don’t forget those who are dying.” “Over the past three years, anti-retroviral drugs has been extended from -- to over a million people, up from 50,000. So it’s important to debate the environment and discuss it.”

On global warming, Bush said, “I view our role as a bridge between people in Europe and others and India and China.” There’s a joke about rising water levels in there somewhere, but not a very funny joke.

He said the US will reduce its use of gas by 20% in 10 years, “And the way you do that is through technologies and ethanols and battery technologies”. Many technologies and many ethanols.

There were other issues discussed. “But enough is enough in Darfur.” Although, “I don’t know how long it’s going to take for people to hear the call to save lives.”

Blair also spoke, defending his decision to quash an investigation into the massive bribes British Aerospace Engineering paid to Saudi Prince Bandar – “my job is to give advice as to whether that [the investigation] is a sensible thing”, what with the strategic interests and British jobs. Not even a hint that corruption might be a, you know, bad thing at all.


On the missile defense system, Bush laid out the fact: “In other words, the facts are, is that -- the fact is this...”

What’s important? “[I]t is important for Russia and Russians to understand that I believe the Cold War ended”. Well, pretty sure anyway, he was kind of drunk that year.

“I repeat, Russia is not a threat. They’re not a military threat. They’re not something that we ought to be hyperventilating about.”

Oh, who wouldn’t hyperventilate?
What should we be hyperventilating about? Some people would say, talking missile defense systems: “And the missile defense system should say, we can work together.”