From: White House Web Site. Transcript.
President Bush Attends World Economic Forum
Sharm el Sheikh International Congress Center
(Entries in Red represent the real subtext.)
America is a much younger nation, but we've made our mark by advancing ideals as old as the pyramids. Those ideals of liberty and justice ...
This hopeful movement made its way to places where dictators once reigned and peaceful democracies seemed unimaginable: places like Chile...
And people of faith (in those countries)are finding the blessing of worshiping God in peace.
(The Middle East) is home to energetic people, a powerful spirit of enterprise, and tremendous resources.
It is capable of a very bright future -- a future in which the Middle East is a place of innovation..
In recent years, we've seen hopeful beginnings toward this vision. Turkey, a nation with a majority Muslim population, is a prosperous modern democracy.
Afghanistan under the leadership of President Karzai is overcoming the Taliban and building a free society.
Iraq under the leadership of Prime Minister Maliki is establishing a multi-ethnic democracy.
We have seen the stirrings of reform from Morocco and Algeria ....
AP -- Sunday, May 18, 2008: “There is no future under the Polisario. There is no freedom of movement. There is no freedom of speech,” Said Abderahman said in an interview. He is one of the refugees whose trip to the US was sponsored by the lobbying group, Moroccan American Center for Policy. “If you dare to talk they take you and put you in jail, and they bring you to a public place and they accuse you of being a thief, in front of society,” he said, speaking through a translator provided by Morocco’s UN mission in New York. (Full)
America appreciates the challenges facing the Middle East. Yet the light of liberty is beginning to shine.
In order for economic progress to result in permanent prosperity and an Egypt that reaches its full potential, however, economic reform must be accompanied by political reform. And I continue to hope that Egypt can lead the region in political reform.
Your greatest asset in this quest is the entrepreneurial spirit of your people. Your economies will be more vibrant when citizens who dream of starting their own companies can do so quickly, without high regulatory and registration costs.
Your economies will be more dynamic when property rights are protected and risk-taking is encouraged -- not punished -- by law.
And your economies will have greater long-term prosperity when taxes are low and all your citizens know that their innovation and hard work will be rewarded.
One of the most powerful drivers of economic growth is free trade.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).