Many Palestinians Offer a Bleak Opinion of Bush

No! I just won't believe it!

President Bush did not come to this oasis city of beige hills, lush green plantations and ancient ruins on his visit to the Palestinian Authority on Thursday. Given the apparent antipathy of the local population, it is probably just as well.

I'd say Mr. Bush has forever given up on his chance of ever visiting a Muslim land.

“It would be much better if he didn’t visit our land at all,” said Bashar Fadl Ahmed, 34, an orthopedic surgeon who was shopping in the town square early this week, echoing sentiments expressed by many here. “He won’t achieve anything. He is trying to do something in his last year, but where was he before?”

Busy bombing other Muslim countries.

Jericho, a relatively tranquil town of about 25,000 Palestinians north of the Dead Sea, was on the short list of West Bank destinations for the Bush visit, with Bethlehem and Ramallah, the site of the Palestinian Authority headquarters.

I'll give him this, call him stupid, call him crooked, say he is the worst President in US history, but he's got balls. Fucking balls of steel.