Row as Australian prime minister salutes George Bush at Nato summit

[Blackleaf]

Australians have accused their Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, of being Bush's poodle after he was seen saluting the US President...

Row as Australian prime minister salutes George Bush at Nato summit

5th April 2008
Daily Mail


It was meant to be a playful gesture welcoming the world's most powerful man.

But the move appeared to have backfired spectacularly today, after the Australian prime minister was attacked for saluting George Bush at a Nato summit.

Kevin Rudd attempted to laugh off the criticism, saying the military-style gesture was "a joke".

"I was just saying "hi" to the President of the United States," he added.

Playful: Kevin Rudd is caught on camera performing what political opponents claim was an 'unbecoming' and 'belittling' gesture



But his political opponents were less amused, claiming it was "unbecoming" and "belittling" to Australia.

The Liberal Party's Brendan Nelson, speaking of Thursday's incident, said: "It was conduct unbecoming of an Australian prime minister.

"Mr Rudd appears to conduct himself in one manner when he thinks the television is upon him and another when it is not."

The Australian Prime Minister has been a critic of Mr Bush's policies in the past


Bob Brown, leader of the minor opposition Greens party, added: "We are not the 51st state of the U.S. and Mr. Rudd's salute carried a subservient connotation many Australians won't like."

Rudd replaced John Howard as prime minister in elections last November after promising to follow an independent foreign policy and to withdraw 550 Australian troops from Iraq.

During his time in office, Howard was heavily criticised for being too close to President Bush and too willing to adopt hawkish U.S. foreign policy.

dailymail.co.uk

 

[Kreskin]

The correct gesture is to place a carpet down, get on ones knees, face Washington, and bow to the White House while speaking in tongues. Anything else is an insult to North American culture.

Ya I'm j/k.

 

[Colpy]

Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill!

I've nevver been in the military, but I do often greet or say bye to friends with what could be called a salute, I guess. I never even thought about it until I read this post.

 

[MikeyDB]

It's amusing how "political correctness" can be warped around to propaganda by the "free-press" and media!

George Bush is a criminal a liar and a moron and when the government of Canada sanctioned the gal who was overheard telling the truth in the lobby of the Parliament buildings...well same guff as "saluting" the moron....

Australia is as guilty of hob-knobbing with the scum of the American whitehouse as is Stephen Harper if only as gesture. The free people of this planet should be trying Bush and this American administration in absentia for crimes against humanity...not "saluting" the moron from Texas.