(no subject)

[webofevil]

Hours of fun to be had with the Bush/Blair conversation, obviously. It just keeps on giving. Channel 4's transcript begins at the crucial "Yeah, Blair" moment, widely but inaccurately reported as "Yo, Blair" simply because it's more amusing. Sadly this means it misses a charcteristically pithy Bush observation about 30 seconds earlier: "Russia's big, and so's China."

George Bush: Yeah, Blair, what are you doing?
Tony Blair: I'm just...
GB: You're leaving?
TB: No, no, no not yet. On this trade thingy...[inaudible]
GB: Yeah I told that to the man.
TB: Are you planning to say that here or not?
GB: If you want me to.
TB: Well, it's just that if the discussion arises...
GB: I just want some movement.
TB: Yeah.
GB: Yesterday we didn't see much movement.
TB: No, no, it may be that it's not, it maybe that it's impossible.
GB: I am prepared to say it.
TB: But it's just I think what we need to be is in a position -
GB: Who is introducing the trade?
TB: Angela.
GB: Tell her to call 'em.
TB: Yes.
GB: Tell her to put me on the spot. Thanks for the sweater, it's awfully thoughtful of you.
TB: It's a pleasure.
GB: I know you picked it out yourself.
TB: Oh, absolutely, in fact I knitted it. [Laughter]
GB: What about Kofi [inaudible] his attitude to ceasefire and everything else ... happens.
TB: Yeah, no I think the [inaudible] is really difficult. We can't stop this unless you get this international business agreed.
GB: Yeah.
TB: Yeah the only thing I think is really difficult is that we can't stop this without getting international presence agreed. I think what you guys have talked about which is the criticism of the [inaudible word]. I am perfectly happy to try and see what the lie of the land is, but you need that done quickly because otherwise it will spiral.
GB: I think Condi is going to go pretty soon.
TB: But that's, that's all that matters. But if you, you see it will take some time to get that together.
GB: Yeah, yeah.
TB: But at least it gives people...
GB: It's a process, I agree. I told her your offer too...
TB: Well...it's only if I mean... you know. If she's got a..., or if she needs the ground prepared as it were... Because obviously if she goes out, she's got to succeed as it were, whereas I can go out and just talk.
GB: You see, the irony is what they need to do is to get Syria, to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's over.
TB: [inaudible]
GB: [inaudible]
TB: Dunno... Syria.
GB: Why?
TB: Because I think this is all part of the same thing.
GB: (with mouth full of bread) Yeah.
TB: What does he think? He thinks if Lebanon turns out fine, if we get a solution in Israel and Palestine, Iraq goes in the right way...
GB: Yeah, yeah, he is sweet.
TB: He is honey. And that's what the whole thing is about. It's the same with Iraq.
GB: I felt like telling Kofi to call, to get on the phone to Bashir Assad and make something happen.
TB: Yeah.
GB: [inaudible]
TB:
GB: We are not blaming the Lebanese government.
TB: Is this...?

[Tony Blair is seen reaching towards the microphone and the sound is cut off at this point].

Simon Hoggart on Blair facing the Commons the next day.

But right now my favourite thing is the suggestion that the microphone was switched on by none other than the KGB's own dissident-imprisoning kiddie-nuzzling warrior monk, Vladimir Putin.

"... at the moment the sound comes on, Vladimir Putin is sat smiling wryly at his seat; you can't see his hands, but the red light on his microphone lights up, indicating that it was the source of the recording"

Comments

[chiller.livejournal.com]

He is HONEY? o_O

That conversation is really unnerving because:
a) they both seem to be on drugs; and
b) because of a) nothing actually gets said, does it? It's akin to most of the conversations one hears in the BB house.

[amuchmoreexotic.livejournal.com]

Are they more or less coherent than the people you transcribe every day, Web Of? I think most people sound like idiots if you transcribe them literally.

Having said that, I am impressed by Bush's reasoning here:

TB: What does he think? He thinks if Lebanon turns out fine, if we get a solution in Israel and Palestine, Iraq goes in the right way...
GB: Yeah, yeah, he is sweet.
TB: He is honey. And that's what the whole thing is about. It's the same with Iraq.

He seems to think that Assad is so worried about the imminent golden age of peace and prosperity on the Gaza Strip and in Iraq that he is desperately trying to foul it up. Nothing to do with trying to put the US off bombing Iran.