Statue of President George W. Bush to be built in Baghdad

Iraq Forum

Well..Maybe. I, for one, hope so.
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New York Post - January 30, 2005

BAGHDAD — The man replacing the mayor of Baghdad — who was assassinated for his pro-American loyalties — says he is not worried about his ties to Washington.

In fact, he'd like to erect a monument to honor President Bush in the middle of the city.

"We will build a statue for Bush," said Ali Fadel, the former provincial council chairman. "He is the symbol of freedom."

Fadel's predecessor, Ali al-Haidari, was gunned down Jan. 4 when militants opened fire on his armor-covered BMW as it traveled with a three-car convoy.

Fadel said he received numerous threats on his life as the council chairman, and expects to get many more in his new post.

"My life is cheap," Fadel said. "Everything is cheap for my country."

As Iraq prepared for a volatile election that is being watched across the world, Fadel heaped praise on the United States.

Fadel acknowledged that many in his country appear ungrateful for America's foreign assistance. He said most Iraqis are still in "shock" over the changes, and need time to adjust.

Any public monument to Bush is likely to further incense terrorist forces, who have attacked American troops and their supporters for months.

Fadel said he is undaunted.

"We have a lot of work and we are especially grateful to the soldiers of the U.S.A. for freeing our country of tyranny," Fadel said.

As for his own protection, the new mayor will be traveling in a new $150,000 SUV complete with bulletproof windows and flat-resistant tires.

By JOSH WILLIAMS / New York Post
http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/39526.htm

http://www.foxnews.com/photo_essay/photoessay_139_images/gop_boy_350.jpg

you gotta be friggin kidding me

A statue of Bush? In BAGHDAD? That's something I never thought would, or COULD be allowed to happen...

He wouldn't even be able to get a statue of any significance built of him in the US, let alone in the heart of Baghdad, Iraq.....

Wow...
Thats sort of sad...

This Ali Fadel looks like some sort of flattering opportunist. I suppose that there are more urgent ways to invest money in Iraq than erecting a statue for anyone. It seems that Saddam has sustainably formatted most people minds.

They could just put one of the George W. Bush action figures up on a pedestal.

LOL - Dekka for sure if you succeed in planting such a man-size figure in front of the White House, you would be famous worldwide !

I'm sure nothing would please Bush more greatly. But honestly the changes ocurring in Iraq are far more important than the man and I think symbols of freedom should transcend such individualized ego.

How fitting would it be to put up a small replica of the Statue of Liberty instead? Something of a slap in the face for France's lack of support and yet a timeless icon of freedom here in the states and other places in the world that currently have replicas.

They might as well put up a statue of The Three Stooges. Or a cache of WMD's.

-HECK!

Eventually there will be a pigeon perch of Bush in every conquered capital that contains oil. The only problem with Saddam's dictatorship is that he was not OUR dictator.

Next stop, Tehran!

So we took down the statue of a dictator to replace it with another! Is this what it is all about??

Rather than build a statue of president bush they should build their own, deticated to the citizens of iraq who embrace and fight for freedom. Bush just opened the door.

**** a statue, I don't care who it is of.