University of South Carolina Libraries
Bush attempts to connect with Latin America By TERENCE HUNT THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SANTIAGO, Chile — President Bush, trying to mend relations with Latin America, pledged Sunday to make a fresh push for stalled immigration reforms and defended the U.S. invasion of Iraq, saying “history will prove it right.” While the Iraq war is widely opposed in Latin America, Bush said, “The United States of America will stay the course and we will complete the task.” Immigration is a sensitive issue throughout the region and Bush said that his proposed guest worker initiative would strengthen border security and help the economy. “We would much rather have security guards chasing down terrorists or drug runners or drug smugglers than people coming to work,” Bush said at an economic summit here. “And so, therefore, I think a guest worker program is important.” Winding up a three-day visit, Bush spoke at a news conference as a new security flap surfaced following an embarrassing fracas on Saturday in which Bush intervened and pulled his Secret Service agent away from Chilean guards. An elaborate state dinner with 200 people Sunday was downgraded to an official working dinner, reportedly because Chilean President Ricardo Lagos balked at Secret Service demands for guests to walk through metal detectors. There was no mention of either incident when Bush appeared with Lagos at the end of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, which closed with pledges to shore up global security, fight terrorism and push ahead with negotiations to lower trade barriers. Both Bush and Lagos acknowledged they had disagreed about Iraq. “Most of the time we will be in agreement. Sometimes we won’t,” Lagos said. “But that’s life.” Bush said he respected Lagos’ decision and said they were still friends. “What we’re doing is the right thing in Iraq and history will prove it right,” the president said. Bush said no one could argue that Iraq was better off with Saddam Hussein in power, or dispute the need to support democracy. The president mistakenly said Iraq’s elections were being planned for June 30 rather than Jan. 30. Bush said some of the Pacific-Rim leaders at the summit had expressed concern about the declining value of the U.S. dollar. He said he reiterated the U.S. government’s commitment to a strong dollar. To address short-term deficits, Bush pledged to work with Congress on budgets aimed at reducing the massive federal deficit by half over five years. He said he’s also committed to reforms that will help reduce long-term liabilities, such as Social Security for future retirees. “My commitment to the international world is that we’ll deal with the short-term deficient and the long-term unfunded liabilities so that people can then take a look at our dollar in terms of fiscal austerity in Washington,” he said. While in Chile, Bush lost a political batde in Washington when Republicans in Congress blocked passage of an RESS From left to right, President of Chile Ricardo Lagos, U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin, walk in together wearing traditional Chilean ponchos as they arrive for the APEC Leader’s Official Photograph at La Moneda Sunday in Santiago, Chile. administration-backed overhaul of the nation’s intelligence agencies. Bush said he was disappointed and would continue efforts to get it passed when he returns to Washington. He said he and Vice President Dick Cheney had talked with key members of the House. “It was clear I wanted the bill passed,” Bush said. Bush opened the day with Mexican President Vicente Fox, discussing immigration issues that are sensitive on both sides of the border. Bush began his presidency with a campaign to improve relations with Mexico, but his attention was diverted by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11,2001. Renewing a plan, which stalled in Congress after he unveiled it in January, Bush urged changes in U.S. law that could allow millions of undocumented laborers to work legally in the United States on temporary visas but would not provide a path to citizenship. Fox hopes to persuade Bush to expand his plan. “One way to make sure the border is secure is to have reasonable immigration policies,” the president said. Pledging to push for the immigration bill, Bush said, “I’m going to find supporters on the Hill and move it.” Fox said he wanted to meet with Bush in Washington, possibly in February or March, to discuss economic security issues. “Mexico wants to fulfill its responsibility to make its economy grow, make it stronger, to have more jobs in Mexico,” Fox said. “That is our first priority.” Asked whether Bush had promised to move the immigration legislation forward, Fox told CNN’s “Late Edition:” “What I got, and very firmly, is his will, his will to attend this issue.” The summit was a staid gathering of 21 Pacific Rim leaders, but it was not without levity. For their group photo, the leaders posed in colorful, hand-woven ponchos — following a summit tradition of wearing native garb of the host country. Bush, arriving at La Moneda palace earlier in the day, greeted Lagos with self-deprecating humor: “Ricardo, aqui esta el gringo.” Translation: “Ricardo, the gringo’s here.” And on Saturday night, Bush waded into a scuffle that erupted when Chilean authorities blocked the president’s Secret Service agents from accompanying him into a dinner. As tempers flared and a shoving match ensued, Bush pushed into the commotion, grabbed his lead agent, Nick Trotta, and pulled him inside. Flying home to Texas today, Bush will stop in Cartegena, Colombia, to meet with President Alvaro Uribe, a conservative whose war against narcoterrorists and leftist rebels has received major funding from the United States. The visit allows Bush to make a visible statement about the U.S. commitment to fighting terrorism. It also is meant to highlight American contributions that have helped to bring some stability to a country ravaged by decades of guerrilla war. Powell starts Mideast peace mission; Israel might remove troops in West Bank before Palestinian Authority election By MARK LAVIE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS JERUSALEM — Secretary of State Colin Powell embarked Sunday on a mission to revive the Middle East peace process after Yasser Arafat’s death, saying he will ask Israel to help with the upcoming Palestinian election to pick a successor. Israel said it would consider pulling back troops from disputed areas in the West Bank. On his way to the Middle East, Powell told reporters on his plane that U.S.-Palestinian cooperation in setting up the elections “will encourage a degree of cooperation that can spread into other areas.” . “This is a moment of opportunity,” Powell said. “I’ll be encouraging both sides to do everything they can to make sure that this election comes off and that the maximum number of Palestinians get the opportunity to participate.” , He said there were “many things” the Israelis could do to help, and he will discuss them during a Monday meeting with Israeli officials. Powell arrived in Israel hours after Assistant Secretary of State William Burns held talks with both sides, becoming the first senior U.S. diplomat to meet with top Palestinians in several months. Powell has separate meetings scheduled with Israeli and Palestinian officials Monday. The visits are pan of an international push for progress toward a new Israel Palestinian accord after Arafat’s death Nov. 11 and ahead of Jan. 9 elections to pick his successor as president of the Palestinian Authority. The United States and Israel boycotted Arafat, charging he was tainted with terrorism. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will visit the region this week, and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos is expected Dec. 2. “I am here to stress strong American support for the Palestinian election,” Burns said after meeting interim Palestinian Authority President Rauhi Fattouh in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Near Ramallah in Beitunia, Israeli special forces killed a Palestinian fugitive and two other militants in a car Sunday, the military said. The military said the Palestinians opened fire first. Palestinian security officials said the three were members of the A1 Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a violent offshoot of the ruling Fatah party. Israeli troops also shot and killed an armed Palestinian who tried to attack a Gaza road used by Jewish settlers, the Israeli army and Islamic Jihad said. In the meeting with Burns, Palestinian leaders asked the United States to pressure Israel to remove troops from West Bank cities and towns to allow campaigning and a free election. “We are determined to do everything we can to help in that process and we also support steps by Israel which are needed to facilitate this election,” Burns said, without elaborating. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Israel has “every intention of redeploying (troops) so as to allow them to have their process of election.” Shortly after the latest round of Mideast violence erupted in 2000, Israel sent troops back into West Bank areas ceded to the Palestinians under interim peace accords. Troops set up dozens of roadblocks and cut off cities and towns, often confining hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to their home communities. Palestinians have had only one general election, in 1996. Elections have been scheduled several times in recent years but then canceled, as Palestinians said they could not carry out a campaign with the Israelis in control of the territory. Now, Israel appears ready to cooperate. Israel has explained its draconian security measures, which have contributed to severe disruption of the Palestinian economy and widespread poverty, by pointing to more than 100 Palestinian suicide bombings in the past four years and the need to prevent further attacks. However, Arafat’s death has softened the Israeli line and raised world expectations for a thaw. Regev said the new Palestinian leadership “could help us by coming down on the terrorists,” but he did not make that a condition for an Israeli withdrawal of troops. For their part, Palestinians say Israel is to blame for the violence and should resume peace talks with no preconditions. Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat said the Palestinians were trying, through the Americans, to set up a meeting with their Israeli counterparts to discuss elections arrangements, he said. “We are expressing a readiness to meet with the Israeli side in order to coordinate with them immediately the administrative and security arrangements,” Erekat said. Burns, who met separately Sunday with Israeli national security adviser Giora Eiland, said he hoped the Palestinian elections, together with an Israeli plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements, could jump-start the stalled “road map” peace plan. President Bush launched the peace plan last year. It envisaged three stages leading to a Palestinian state, but neither side Fulfilled the initial steps and it Faltered. NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS th^Sramecock Editor In Chief, Spring 2005 The Editor in Chief is responsible for all operations ofThe Gamecock, USC's student newspaper that is published three days a week during the Spring semester. Duties include overseeing editorial content, recruiting and supervision of the editorial staff. Applications and job descriptions are available at the Office of the Director of Student Life, Russell House 115, or online at www.sa.sc.edu/studentmedia. DEADLINE for completed applications: Monday, November 22,2004 @ 4:00 pm Russell House 115 “TKafae 'tpMn “Tttan&f Phi Sigma Pi would like to congratulate our newly inducted brothers! I Cory Alexander Dave Ambruster Erin Christmas Jeremy Bush Jessica Mattison Katie Pastva Kerri-Anne Coutch iWjfj—I—I l».aaj— Kimberly Heggie Laura Carver Leah Griffith Lindsey Davis j Matt Jepson Tiffany Ripply f. Tylia Oliver Jenni Fender