George W Bush

By Marwan Bishara in Imperium on September 29th, 2011
An ardent supporter of the Iraq war, Tony Blair is now tasked with brokering Middle East peace [AFP]

Tony Blair has been a political salesman since he first made his debut at the British Labour Party conference. And he is good, no doubt about that.

Not only because he speaks coherently; he is Scottish after all. Nor is it because he's often compared with George W Bush.

It's because Tony could peddle ideas and sell economic and military agendas better than most.

The question is: Would you buy a used car from Tony?

The Palestinians and the Arabs in general have concluded enough is enough.

Nabil Sha'ath, the Palestinian Authority's first ever foreign minister, told me last year: "Forget Tony Blair. I think Mr Blair is at the wrong time at the wrong place and he’s just making it easier for Mr Netanyahu to deceive us, really, in more ways than one."

By Marwan Bishara in Imperium on September 22nd, 2011
Barack Obama has become even more pro-Israel than George W Bush, analyst argues [GALLO/GETTY]

Obama is the "the first Jewish President". That's the title of New York magazine's lead article, written by John Heilemann and quoting a major Obama fundraiser.

Listening to Obama speak at the United Nations on Wednesday many would nod in agreement, not less in Palestine and the Arab world. 

The US president has embraced the rejectionist Israeli position on the question of international recognition of an independent Palestinian state.

But that's not a Jewish position. It's a radical Zionist position. Many Jews, including US and Israeli Jews, do not embrace such extremist views.

But the fact that Obama surpassed his predecessor George W Bush, the most radical supporter of Israel among all US Presidents, has left everyone in Israel dumbstruck. The latest Zionist US president sounded like Israel's own founding fathers.

Never have they heard a US president read straight from the papers of the Israeli government.

By Asad Hashim in Americas on September 8th, 2011
Photo by Asad Hashim/Al Jazeera

Is it time to end the 'War on Terror'?

That was the motion under debate on Wednesday night in New York City, as the Intelligence Squared Debate series brought experts from inside and outside the government to try and convince the audience that it is either time to declare the open-ended war against "terrorism" over, or that doing so would cripple the US government’s ability to protect its citizens.

By Jane Dutton in Americas on March 6th, 2011
Photo by Getty

"I log onto Al Jazeera every morning - you guys rock!" This was no news junkie; this was Christopher, a fantastic salesman at a clothes store in central Washington. He tells me Al Jazeera is the first thing he reads on his Blackberry, and it is his first source for news. He loves us. And so do all his friends.

What a change from when I came here three years ago! Back then virtually nobody had heard of us. Out of those who did, one tried to bomb our offices several years ago. George W Bush and his gang suspected we were propagators of anti-American propaganda. And the other, a taxi driver, said: "You were them guys Bush tried to take out; I know about you!" He was dead impressed there was a representative of a 'terror network' in his cab.

By Kristen Saloomey in Americas on February 12th, 2011
Photo from GALLO/GETTY

Egyptians were dancing in the streets on Friday, and not just in Cairo.

Hundreds of them flowed into the immigrant neighbourhood of Astoria, in Queens, New York, waving red, white and black Egyptian flags, cheering not only for a free Egypt - but also for Al Jazeera and its role in broadcasting the revolution.

While Egypt dominates the headlines from the Middle East, the story in the United States continues to be this rising news channel.

As a correspondent for Al Jazeera English in New York, the questions follow me wherever I go: Where can I see Al Jazeera? How can I watch it?

Suddenly my inbox is full of college students looking for internships. Several reporters have approached me (me?

By Teymoor Nabili in Americas on February 7th, 2011

President George W Bush was never a great traveler, but if he was planning to get more adventurous in retirement he may find that there are few countries he can visit freely.

Having proudly admitted in his memoirs that he authorised the waterboarding of prisoners, the former president is now facing an international indictment calling for his arrest on charges of torture.

Media reports say it is fear of prosecution in an international court that's led Bush to abruptly cancel a trip to Switzerland, where he was to speak at a dinner organised by a pro-Israel group.

By Kamal Hyder in Asia on November 8th, 2010
Photo from AFP

The US president's visit to India has been hailed as a landmark moment, coming amidst much pomp and ceremony.

It could be a defining moment for Barack Obama's future, following the Democrat's humbling experience in midterm elections last week. But one thing is more certain: American foreign policy has the consensus of both the Democrats and the Republicans, no matter who is in power.

India mostly relied on Russian and British military equipment for its forces during the cold war era, something the US was always suspicious of despite its good relations with New Delhi over the years.

But with a new US-Indian strategic partnership, the stage is set for India to make a transition to American military hardware.

Obama may be trying to take credit for the new partnership, but actually it started during the tenure of George W Bush.

By Prerna Suri in Asia on November 6th, 2010
Photo by AFP

There's a change in India.

Whenever previous American presidents have touched down in the country, their every gesture is scrutinised. From what tickles their palate right down to whose hands they shake more vigorously.

A visit from an American president has always infused India with some much-needed confidence.

With Barack Obama's maiden visit to the country as president, there is excitement. But not the electrifying expectations one had when George W Bush or Bill Clinton came calling.

So, what's really changed?

A nine per cent growth rate may have added to India's confident swagger. Or a $30bn defence budget may have caught the world's attention.

"The US sees that India is clearly a rising power, its economy is quite strong.

By Gabriel Elizondo in Americas on September 26th, 2010
AFP photo

What is art?

That is the question many Brazilians have been forced to ask themselves after the country’s most important alternative art show displayed nine drawings depicting the assassination of world leaders.

Each charcoal drawing shows the artist, Gil Vicente of Recife, Brazil, holding a weapon moments before assassinating a world leader.

The exhibition is titled “Enemies” and is seen in the photo above.

File 3631 

Photo: Brazilian President Lula da Silva.

One drawing depicts Vicente, the artist, holding a knife to the throat of Brazilian President Lula da Silva. Others show the artist pointing a gun at Pope Benedict XVI, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Queen Elizabeth.

By Camille Elhassani in Americas on September 17th, 2010
Photo by AFP

In his US presidential victory speech on November 4, 2008, Barack Obama said, "Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long".

It's a familiar message in US politics. When George W Bush was running for president in 2000, he told Americans, "I'm a uniter, not a divider".  But politicians who vow to change Washington are often changed by Washington. Partisanship is entrenched in the system.

However, senate historian Don Ritchie says while the political party divisions have evolved over many decades, members of Congress have always come to Washington with very different visions of what they want to do. 

"Those who love legislation and those who love sausage should never see how either are made. It's not a nice, pretty, efficient, clean, reasonable process.

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