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Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama. (AP)
Last update - 18:57 15/05/2008
Obama says Bush politically attacked him in Knesset address
By The Associated Press
Tags: Israel, Barack Obama 

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama accused President George W. Bush on Thursday of launching a false political attack with a comment about appeasing terrorists and radicals.

The Illinois senator interpreted the remark as a slam against him but the
White House denied that Bush's words were in any way directed at Obama, who has said as president he would be willing to personally meet with leaders of regimes the United States has deemed rogue.
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In a speech to Israel's Knesset, Bush said: Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along.

We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: 'Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is - the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history.

Responding with a statement, the Obama campaign seized on Bush's remarks even as it was unclear to whom Bush was referring.

"It is sad that President Bush would use a speech to the Knesset on the 6Oth anniversary of Israel's independence to launch a false political attack," Obama said in the statement.

"George Bush knows that I have never supported engagement with terrorists, and the president's extraordinary politicization of foreign policy and the politics of fear do nothing to secure the American people or our stalwart ally Israel."

The White House said Bush's comment wasn't a reference to Obama.

"It is not," press secretary Dana Perino told reporters in Israel.

"I would think that all of you who cover these issues and have for a long time have known that there are many who have suggested these types of negotiations with people that the president, President Bush, thinks that we should not talk to. I understand when you're running for office you sometimes think the world revolves around you. That is not always true. And it is not true in this case."

Obama, citing past U.S. diplomacy with the Soviet Union and China, has said that as president he would personally negotiate with Iran and offer economic incentives and a chance for peaceful relations if Iranian leaders would forgo their pursuit of nuclear weapons and their support of terrorists. At the same time, he has said he would strongly reject Iran's development of nuclear weapons, its anti-Semitic rhetoric and terrorist support.

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      1.   He will be our next president! 17:26  |  OBAMA MAN 15/05/08
      2.   Well, Bush can`t campaign with McCain... 17:34  |  Aphemia 15/05/08
      3.   Let him do it, Obama, it is good for you 17:36  |  Mark B. 15/05/08
      4.   If Obama Can`t Stand The Heat The He shouldn`t Run 17:59  |  Shepherd 15/05/08
      5.   Change Hamas Can Believe In Too! 18:05  |  GH 15/05/08
      6.   #1 Obama will NEVER be President! 18:11  |  david 15/05/08
      7.   U.S. and Israeli "right-wingers" = Birds of a feather...... 18:14  |  Swiss (Dino) 15/05/08
      8.   The code of Bushito 18:18  |  Ploni 15/05/08
      9.   # 3 Mark B of Amsterdam....Obama should have kept 18:42  |  Lynn 15/05/08
      10.   # 7 Swiss...thanks for your opinion 18:45  |  Lynn 15/05/08
      11.   # 2 Aphemia....I think he was talking about 18:48  |  Lynn 15/05/08
      12.   Obama can not win the Presidency 18:48  |  Eric 15/05/08
      13.   Never supported engagement with terrorists? 18:51  |  peterzap 15/05/08
      14.   Obam the fool 19:02  |  Yariv 15/05/08
      15.   Obama has a chip on his shoulder 19:11  |  gabriel 15/05/08
      16.   Methinks Barry protests too much 19:12  |  fiona 15/05/08
      17.   Bush is beginning to make more sense than Obama 19:19  |  J. Hultra 15/05/08
      18.   Touchy! Touchy! you protesteth too much!! 19:25  |  Jewish State 15/05/08
      19.   Swiss Dino 19:29  |  Bigfacedog 15/05/08
      20.   #6 if obama will be nominated... 19:32  |  watcher 15/05/08
      21.   #5 - GH 19:33  |  MichaelF 15/05/08
      22.   Remark inconvenient, but accurate 19:33  |  Nathaniel 15/05/08
      23.   Its about Anniversaries not Adversaries 19:39  |  Ronnie Wolman 15/05/08
      24.   FACT!! 19:39  |  Cool B 15/05/08
      25.   Obama is worse then Carter 19:47  |  Adam 15/05/08
      26.   If Obama wins, what his cabinet will look like 19:51  |  Christopher 15/05/08
      27.   #17 - J. Hultra 19:54  |  MichaelF 15/05/08
      28.   Saint Obama 19:57  |  Dr D 15/05/08
      29.   "... unclear to whom Bush was referring. " 19:59  |  common sense 15/05/08
      30.   IF THE SHOE FITS... 20:00  |  DWOLF 15/05/08
      31.   Smart Guy 20:13  |  Mark Lincoln 15/05/08
      32.   If Obama wins (he will not)... 20:18  |  lol 15/05/08
      33.   Obama can run all he wants America is not going to elect a Black 20:25  |  Kipperraes 15/05/08
      34.   Bush 20:32  |  Ed 15/05/08
      35.   To ObamaMan, no 1, I`m worried about your attitude 20:38  |  Sam C 15/05/08
      36.   Ciao Lynn! No, I think he was trying help Mac 20:56  |  Aphemia 15/05/08
      37.   Kipperraes #33 sounds like Rev Wright 20:58  |  Nathaniel 15/05/08
      38.   Than why did Obama fire two foreign advisers who met with Hamas? 21:00  |  r 15/05/08
      39.   It is clear by now that Obama will be the next US President. 21:03  |  S 15/05/08
      40.   The shoe fits! 21:18  |  Webster 15/05/08
      41.   Obama`s RTeaction 21:22  |  Plas Jaramillo 15/05/08
      42.   Mr Bush, have you no respect for the State of Israel? SHAME! 21:30  |  Proudest Zionist 15/05/08
      43.   If the shoe fits 21:34  |  Joseph 15/05/08
      44.   Obama your tailor wants a cabinet consult 21:37  |  Zev 15/05/08
      45.   Bush - boot in the mouth again! 21:39  |  Palestinian Brit 15/05/08
      46.   Obama, Clinton, McCain? 21:45  |  ruben siedner 15/05/08
      47.   Bush true agenda: Keep the killing of Jews and Palestinians 22:06  |  Sami the Palestinian 15/05/08
      48.   Why did Obama assume that Bush was talking about him? 22:13  |  Realist 15/05/08
      49.   Look at the Ego on that guy (Obama)! 22:22  |  Cory 15/05/08
      50.   Sheesh 22:23  |  Amnon Hussein Talmor 15/05/08
      51.   Actually he was referring to Olmert 22:33  |  jack 15/05/08
      52.   Obama, you are pretentious 22:38  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 15/05/08
      53.   Obama and President Bush 22:42  |  Connie 15/05/08
      54.   #39, S 22:46  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 15/05/08
      55.   Obama will be the next president 22:47  |  ana 15/05/08
      56.   bush speech remarks 22:52  |  kochav ben avraham 15/05/08
      57.   Obama is afraid of offending his terrorist masters 22:56  |  Gili 15/05/08
      58.   Obama Mama 23:03  |  General Patten 15/05/08
      59.   Obama Truisms. 23:05  |  bart 15/05/08
      60.   another whining muslim,just what the world needs 23:06  |  POP 15/05/08
      61.   Bunch of loud mouth fools 23:24  |  Aaron 15/05/08
      62.   How come McCain or Hillary did not take offense 23:28  |  Commnon sense 15/05/08
      63.   NOW where in BUSH`s statement did OBAMA get his IDEA 23:29  |  Gil 15/05/08
      64.   is everyone delusional, especially #1 23:29  |  jay dog 15/05/08
      65.   NOW where in BUSH`s statement did OBAMA get his IDEA 23:29  |  Gil 15/05/08
      66.   NOW where in BUSH`s statement did OBAMA get his IDEA 23:43  |  Gil 15/05/08
      67.   #50, Connie... 23:47  |  Silvienne 15/05/08
      68.   Guts feeling and educated guess 23:47  |  PARIS 15/05/08
      69.   If the hat fits-wear it 00:05  |  Alan SA 16/05/08
      70.   Obama and Israel 00:08  |  wp 16/05/08
      71.   OBAMA ain`t he the HAKUNA MATATA man 00:10  |  Gil