Bush Stifles Urge to Wring Asian Leaders' Necks (Just KIdding!)

El Fotografo snagged this photo of U.S. President George Bush making an incriminating gesture with his hands behind the Japanese and Korean leaders at the APEC Leaders’ Summit, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008.

Korea’s Lee Myung-Bak looks like he’s flinching in pain.

If Bush did secretly feel like wringing the Asian leaders’ necks, I don’t know why. Nearly everything went his way at APEC, and he got to go home with a nifty $300 alpaca-wool poncho.

The day prior to this photo shoot, the outgoing U.S. president pleaded with Pacific Rim leaders to keep trade doors open — or else.

Result: Everyone agreed to keep buying and selling and investing for the next 12 months. Nobody went on record as saying the global financial crisis was the United States’ fault.

Also on Saturday Bush convinced APEC leaders to push for North Korea to give up its nuclear program — or else.

–Barbara R. Drake