http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/01/13/bush-iran.html
U.S. President George W. Bush said on Sunday that Iran is threatening the security of the world, and that the United States and Arab allies must join together to confront the danger "before it's too late."
Bush said Iran funds terrorist extremists, undermines peace in Lebanon, sends arms to the Taliban, seeks to intimidate its neighbours with alarming rhetoric, defies the United Nations and destabilizes the entire region by refusing to be open about its nuclear program.
"Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terror," Bush said in a speech in Abu Dhabi, delivered about mid-way through his eight-day Mideast trip that began with a renewed push for an Israeli-Palestinian peace pact — an accord he said whose "time has come."
Chiding U.S. allies who have withheld civil liberties, Bush said governments will never build trust by harassing or imprisoning candidates and protesters. But his rebuke was general, and he did not single out any U.S. partner in the region for oppressive practices.
"You cannot expect people to believe in the promise of a better future when they are jailed for peacefully petitioning their government," Bush said. "And you cannot stand up a modern, confident nation when you do not allow people to voice their legitimate criticisms."
Bush gave the speech on democracy in one of the few countries in the region — United Arab Emirates — where democracy has not been a vital issue, but virtually ignored. In other countries in the region, especially Egypt, the fight between democracy activists and autocratic governments has been much more pointed and controversial.
"Iran's actions threaten the security of nations everywhere," Bush said. "So the United States is strengthening our long-standing security commitments with our friends in the Gulf, and rallying friends around the world to confront this danger before it is too late."
U.S. 'has no desire for territory': Bush
Bush spoke at the Emirates Palace, at an opulent, gold-trimmed hotel where a suite goes for $2,450 US a night. Built at a cost of $3 billion, the hotel is a kilometre long from end to end and has a 1.3-kilometre white sand beach — every grain of it imported from Algeria, according to Steven Pike, a spokesman at the U.S. Embassy here.
Bush said advancing democracy and freedom is the core of his administration's foreign policy and critical to U.S. security.
"The United States has no desire for territory. We seek our shared security in your liberty. We believe that stability can only come through a free and just Middle East where the extremists are marginalized," the president said.
He noted democratic reform in Iraq.
"You have made your choice for democracy and have stood firm," Bush said, speaking to the Iraqi people. "The terrorists and extremists cannot prevail."
Making an equally direct appeal to the Palestinians, Bush said, "The dignity and sovereignty that is your right is within your reach."
In renewing his so-called Freedom Agenda, Bush's grand ambition to seed democracy around the globe, he declared that "democracy is the only form of government that treats individuals with the dignity and equality that is their right."
"We know from experience that democracy is the only system of government that yields lasting peace and stability," he added.
BWAAA HA HA HA HA.... ok sorry....
Yet he was speaking about democracy in a deeply undemocratic country, the Emirates, where an elite of royal rulers makes virtually all the decisions. Large numbers of foreign resident workers have few legal or human rights, including no right to citizenship and no right to protest working conditions.
Some human rights groups have accused the Emirates of tolerating virtual indentured servitude, where workers from poor countries like Sri Lanka are forced to work to pay off debts to employers and have their passports seized so they can't leave.
Officials in Abu Dhabi and the neighbouring emirate of Dubai have said they are taking slow and gradual steps toward reform, both democratic and in labour rights.
In the country's first elections in late 2006, the government hand-picked a group of voters to cast ballots to choose members of a government advisory panel.
Well... there he goes about evil Iran yet again, and it all sounds the same, just like it did before he invaded Iraq, and before he invaded Afghanistan.
Wasn't it not too long ago that North Korea was the big target.... now for some reason we don't hear too much about them.
And when he speaks about Iran "Before it's too late" Before what and who is too late? Does he have some master intelligence this time telling him something bad is going to happen for sure this time?