No Bush bashing in the Baltics
 

No Bush Bashing in Baltics
www.brusselsjournal.com on Wed, 2006-11-29 17:15

"US President George W. Bush was in the Estonian capital Tallinn on
Monday and Tuesday and travelled on to Riga, Latvia, where he met
leaders of NATO. Bush thanked the Estonians for their support in
Afghanistan and Iraq. His visit is seen as a clear signal to Moscow
that the Baltic States are out of the Kremlin's sphere of influence.
The one thing that was NOT on display in Tallinn and Riga was anti-Bush
protests or any visible hostility towards the visit of "the biggest
tyrant and killer."

Altogether four anti-Bush protests had been organized, two of them by
Russians, who object to Estonian membership of NATO and who think the
Soviet Union should still rule one sixth of the world. Not even a dozen
people participated in each of these meetings, which were very peaceful
and diffident. Then there was a local pagan worshiper and neo-Nazi, who
managed to get arrested for throwing fireworks towards the US embassy.
No-one followed his call to join him in his protest march against Bush
and America.

The biggest demonstration was organized by anarchists. How they
reconcile their anarchist ideology with organizing marches is beyond
me. Some 150 to 200 people joined their march. Their main complaint was
not, however, against Bush but against the Estonian government for
sending troops to Iraq.

There was a small pro-US welcome party of about half a dozen people
with Estonian, Latvian, American and NATO flags, but the media mostly
chose to ignore it. Several hundred people lined the streets when
Bush's motorcade arrived on Monday evening.

I have not heard of any serious protests in Latvia either though the
media would be certain to report them, if there were any.

One reason for this calm is the high security that was put in place
both in Tallinn and Riga. Some streets were temporarily closed even to
pedestrians and traffic was restricted as well. But on the whole I am
sure that the general population in Estonia and Latvia have no deeply
rooted animosity towards America or their president. The reason is
pretty obvious - we can still remember what oppression and planned
economy really mean."

No Bush bashing in the Baltics
 

"PJ O'Donovan" wrote:

No Bush Bashing in Baltics
www.brusselsjournal.com on Wed, 2006-11-29 17:15

What a headline! Even the anarchists got more people out on the
streets than the pro-US welcome party. "No Welcome for Bush" might be
a more honest slant. But it does not fit the agenda of Peej and
like-minded non-thinkers.

**** off, Peej.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED
My travel writing: http://www.iol.ie/~draoi/

No Bush bashing in the Baltics
 

"PJ O'Donovan" ha scritto nel messaggio
ups.com...
No Bush Bashing in Baltics
www.brusselsjournal.com on Wed, 2006-11-29 17:15

"US President George W. Bush was in the Estonian capital Tallinn on
Monday and Tuesday and travelled on to Riga, Latvia, where he met
leaders of NATO. Bush thanked the Estonians for their support in
Afghanistan and Iraq. His visit is seen as a clear signal to Moscow
that the Baltic States are out of the Kremlin's sphere of influence.
The one thing that was NOT on display in Tallinn and Riga was anti-Bush
protests or any visible hostility towards the visit of "the biggest
tyrant and killer."

Altogether four anti-Bush protests had been organized, two of them by
Russians, who object to Estonian membership of NATO and who think the
Soviet Union should still rule one sixth of the world. Not even a dozen
people participated in each of these meetings, which were very peaceful
and diffident. Then there was a local pagan worshiper and neo-Nazi, who
managed to get arrested for throwing fireworks towards the US embassy.
No-one followed his call to join him in his protest march against Bush
and America.

The biggest demonstration was organized by anarchists. How they
reconcile their anarchist ideology with organizing marches is beyond
me. Some 150 to 200 people joined their march. Their main complaint was
not, however, against Bush but against the Estonian government for
sending troops to Iraq.

There was a small pro-US welcome party of about half a dozen people
with Estonian, Latvian, American and NATO flags, but the media mostly
chose to ignore it. Several hundred people lined the streets when
Bush's motorcade arrived on Monday evening.

I have not heard of any serious protests in Latvia either though the
media would be certain to report them, if there were any.

One reason for this calm is the high security that was put in place
both in Tallinn and Riga. Some streets were temporarily closed even to
pedestrians and traffic was restricted as well. But on the whole I am
sure that the general population in Estonia and Latvia have no deeply
rooted animosity towards America or their president. The reason is
pretty obvious - we can still remember what oppression and planned
economy really mean."


you are right
Riga was completely closed during the Nato meeting

Near the meeting centre ( a sport hall ) only residents could enter or exit.
the closed streets.
as far as Iknow. schools and public offices were closed during the meeting.
Latvian simply choose to take a few days off..
and ignore the Nato meeting.

No Bush bashing in the Baltics
 

From: "PJ O'Donovan"
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Newsgroups:
alt.activism.death-penalty,talk.politics.misc,uk.politics.misc,aus.po litics,re
c.travel.europe
Date: 30 Nov 2006 03:59:21 -0800
Subject: No Bush bashing in the Baltics

His visit is seen as a clear signal to Moscow
that the Baltic States are out of the Kremlin's sphere of influence.

Brief history of the Baltic states, PJ. The Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia,
and Lithuania) became independent states in 1920. They remained independent
during the interwar period. In 1940, with the beginning of World War II,
the Soviet Union took advantage of the opportunity to annex the independent
Baltic States. None of the Western powers recognized this annexation, and
refused to return Baltic state holdings, such as gold, deposited in Western
banks. These holdings provided assets for a new start after the fall of the
Soviet Union. These states were not as "influenced" as you seem to believe.

Donna Evleth

No Bush bashing in the Baltics
 

Could someone teach third age gagas how not to crosspost everywhere ?

"Donna Evleth" a écrit dans le message de news:
...


From: "PJ O'Donovan"
Organization: http://groups.google.com
Newsgroups:
alt.activism.death-penalty,talk.politics.misc,uk.politics.misc,aus.po litics,re
c.travel.europe
Date: 30 Nov 2006 03:59:21 -0800
Subject: No Bush bashing in the Baltics

His visit is seen as a clear signal to Moscow
that the Baltic States are out of the Kremlin's sphere of influence.

Brief history of the Baltic states, PJ. The Baltic states (Estonia,
Latvia,
and Lithuania) became independent states in 1920. They remained
independent
during the interwar period. In 1940, with the beginning of World War II,
the Soviet Union took advantage of the opportunity to annex the
independent
Baltic States. None of the Western powers recognized this annexation, and
refused to return Baltic state holdings, such as gold, deposited in
Western
banks. These holdings provided assets for a new start after the fall of
the
Soviet Union. These states were not as "influenced" as you seem to
believe.

Donna Evleth

No Bush bashing in the Baltics
 

"Runge" wrote in message
...
Could someone teach third age gagas how not to crosspost everywhere ?

Having done that, they could teach the mentally disabled how not to
top-post.