Former President Bush cancels appearance in YPO summit due to Julian Assange's participation

[News_Editor]

Former President Bush cancels appearance in YPO summit due to Julian Assange's participation

2011-02-26 03:02:04 GMT+7 (ICT)

DALLAS, TEXAS (BNO NEWS) -- Former United States President George W. Bush on Friday declined participating in the upcoming YPO Global Leadership Summit in Denver, Colorado after learning that WikiLeak's Julian Assange will participate in the event.

According to his spokesman David Sherzer, the former U.S. leader accepted the invitation to participate and speak at the annual summit six months ago. However, he declined participating after learning that Assange was invited too.

"President Bush decided to cancel his appearance. The former president has no desire to share a forum with a man who has willfully and repeatedly done great harm to the interests of the United States," said Sherzer.

The annual YPO Global Leadership Summit will be held in Denver on February 26. Approximately 2,000 members and invited guests from more than 75 countries will attend the two-day forum.

In Denver, YPO members from around the world will focus discussions on the latest developments in globalization, the role of visionary leadership, and global political and social conflicts.

World-renowned speakers will discuss key issues in business, politics, philanthropy and humanities. President Bush was scheduled to give a closing keynote during the last day of the summit, during the closing ceremony.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-02-26

[TAWP]

But he could attend if merely dictators attend...

[smiling mantis]

The former president has no desire to share a forum with a man who has willfully and repeatedly done great harm to the interests of the United States.

Oh. My. God.

[chuckd]

I wonder if Julian will attend if charges have been leveled against him by the US government...or if he is in jail in Sweden.

Good for GWB.

[bulmercke]

How can Assange possibly participate in this event other than by video conference? He's currently fighting extradition proceedings to to Sweden and ultimately the states.

[chuckd]

How can Assange possibly participate in this event other than by video conference? He's currently fighting extradition proceedings to to Sweden and ultimately the states.

"Ultimately the states", is something of a silly statement. He hasn't been charged with any crimes by the US so why would he fear entering the country?

He's only fighting extradition to Sweden as it seems he does not want to answer questions concerning any sex crimes he might have committed.

[TAWP]

Exposing truths is never seen with kind eyes by those in the circle of power.

Amazing that being responsible for thousands of deaths doesn't garner the same response...

[Hawaiian]

Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black. I think Assange has exposed the blatant lies spread by the Bush administration which eventually caused unnecessary loss of lives and a lot of money pored down the drain. Wikileaks has also exposed how good the U.S. is at protecting classified information.

[Steely Dan]

I guess G.W must be afraid something will leak out from the bush telegraph.

[bulmercke]

How can Assange possibly participate in this event other than by video conference? He's currently fighting extradition proceedings to to Sweden and ultimately the states.

"Ultimately the states", is something of a silly statement. He hasn't been charged with any crimes by the US so why would he fear entering the country?

He's only fighting extradition to Sweden as it seems he does not want to answer questions concerning any sex crimes he might have committed.

By Mike Freeman - Allvoices - 10 February 2011

QUOTE:"What is rendition and has Assange really anything to fear? Rendition is really a euphemism for kidnapping a suspected terrorist or someone aiding and abetting terrorism and taking them to a secret prison.

United States President Barack Obama gave the orders to shut down Guantanamo a naval base in the South East of Cuba after wide spread international criticism of the controversial CIA renditions when cases of mistaken identity came to light and it was found that they handed over prisoners to regimes where they could be tortured under interrogation.

But even while dismantling these programs, President Obama left intact an equally controversial counter-terrorism tool, extraordinary rendition and it seems that Guantanamo has not been shut down as promised by Obama...

LINK TO ORIGINAL SOURCE OF ARTICLE: Allvoices.com - http://www.allvoices...tion-by-the-cia

[Jingthing]

I'm a bush basher but any American president would have done the same thing. The blackguard participated by video feed.

[jdinasia]

After reading the article I have 2 questions

1) What is YPO?

2) Isn't it a bit redundant to say "give a closing keynote during the last day of the summit, during the closing ceremony" ?

As for Bush and Assange? No great loss if neither is there

[bulmercke]

How can Assange possibly participate in this event other than by video conference? He's currently fighting extradition proceedings to to Sweden http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8151714-wikileaks-why-assange-fears-rendition-by-the-cia

[Jingthing]

Dude, because posting via large copy paste jobs is bad enough and rather low grade forum behavior to begin with. When you don't provide links as well, well, you bloody well should, every time.

[chuckd]

After reading the article I have 2 questions

1) What is YPO?

2) Isn't it a bit redundant to say "give a closing keynote during the last day of the summit, during the closing ceremony" ?

As for Bush and Assange? No great loss if neither is there

YPO - Young Presidents' Organization

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Presidents'_Organization

[jdinasia]

After reading the article I have 2 questions

1) What is YPO?

2) Isn't it a bit redundant to say "give a closing keynote during the last day of the summit, during the closing ceremony" ?

As for Bush and Assange? No great loss if neither is there

YPO - Young Presidents' Organization

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Presidents'_Organization

I know (now) and could have googled it ... my point was that the article should have mentioned it.

[powderpuff]

I was gonna use the term "weenies" but let me say it this way.

Which one of the fine upstanding members of ThaiVisa.com (keyboard warriors) was a President or a Prime Minister when their country suffered a Pearl Harbor style attack?

Answer? None.

President George Bush (Bush 43) had been in office barely 6 months when the atrocity (9-11) went down. He spent the next 7 years trying to prevent a repeat. To that extent he was successful. He deserves my gratitude.