Bush Visits Rome Amid Protests

by jordan | June 12, 2008 at 10:08 am | 272 views | 4 comments

President Bush and his wife are visiting Italy at the moment, though their reception will vary depending on where they choose to look.

President Bush can look forward to a hearty welcome from his old friend, the charismatic Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, and Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to Rome. That's not what he should expect in the streets, however, where anti-Bush sentiment over the war in Iraq still lingers.

ABOUT 1000 people marched on the US embassy in Rome today to protest against visiting US President George W. Bush's foreign policy, it was reported today.

The march was accompanied by a heavy police presence.
"Bush Terrorist," "Warlord Bush", "Italy out of NATO" were some of the slogans shouted by the protesters, who were mainly Italian but also included Americans of the Rome-based US Citizens for Peace and Justice near the front of the march.

The group's Stephanie Westbrook saidit was "denouncing Bush's war crimes - we don't mean that as a slogan, it's a well-documented case by now ... (including) the criminal war against Iraq, torture and threats against Iran".

She said: "We'll also be calling for impeachment because it's extremely important ... to establish a precedent for this crime to prevent future abuses of power."

Banners called for the withdrawal of Western troops from Afghanistan and Lebanon.

Bush's public response was that Italians should visit the US themselves to understand the nation firsthand, apparently missing the distinction between protesting against a nation and against that nation's government.

Bush will meet with the pope on Friday before departing to Paris to continue his farewell European tour. It will be Bush's third meeting with Benedict. The two last met in April at the White House in Washington.

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mettacara

at 10:26 on June 12th, 2008

good stuff:

jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff.

ale2000

at 10:29 on June 12th, 2008

good stuff:

interesting stuff. not all of it is clearly passed even here in italy...

Swellanor

at 15:59 on June 12th, 2008

A small but fervent group of fellows of the American Academy in Rome put up these banners in the windows of the main Academy building. Bush visited the Villa Aurelia, a part of the American Academy, for a meeting on 'entrepreneurship' with the Fullbright program. We though it was important to show that the fellows of the American Academy do not support Bush and his policies, and did not welcome him to Rome. Ironically, the sound-byte taken away from Bush's meeting was that he "encouraged young people to come get the "firsthand truth about America."" The fellows at the American Academy know America and Bush's administration firsthand- and still we protest.

Swellanor has contributed a photo to this story.

Mikasi

at 16:30 on June 12th, 2008

If I recall correctly, Italy's Prime Minister suggested that when he is done as President Bush should feel welcome to come teach college classes in Italy. Does that sound like the premise of an 80's movie starring Bill Murray or what?