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Belfast Welcomes George W
Bush . . .
The President of the United States of
America
After spending time with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in
Windsor yesterday, the President George W Bush kept to his plans to
visit Belfast in what is thought to be his farewell tour of Europe
before the Presidential Elections in the US later this year.
The people of Belfast looked forward to welcoming President Bush to
their city in this whistle stop visit. Security was at its highest with
not even officers on the ground knowing the intended destinations of the
VIP's or their Routes.
Stormont business was suspended although the majority of
elected politicians were not invited to meet with Mr. Bush. His Belfast
itinerary was crammed with meeting including the new First Minister
Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister, The former First Minister the
Rev Ian Paisley and both the British and Irish Prime Ministers. No
sooner had he arrived than He was airborne again, with Air Force
One leaving RAF Aldergrove at 7pm, bound for home after his
European Crusade.
Editorial
Belfast was looking forward to welcoming one of the
world's most important men and although many people were are work or
stuck in traffic generated by his visit, others lined parts of what was
thought to be the scheduled route, only to play a new game 'Spot the
Phantom President'
People lined the parts of the ring roads leading to the Sydenham
Bypass, others on the Upper Newtownards Road aided in their belief that
this was Mr. Bush's intended route, as the PSNI had deployed hundreds of
officers, even sealing off roads. This seems all to have been a security
rouse for whilst well wishers stood patiently on the Upper Newtownards
Road with American flags waving Mr. Bush was ushered in the back way to
Stormont.
Disappointed well wishers tottered home feeling aggrieved for unlike
his predecessor Mr. Bush met none of the well wishers, no even along the
route. In fact on his way back to the airport his entourage traveled the
wrong way up the motorways and roads, all of which had been sealed for
his visit, denying those who had been inconvenienced by his visit, the slightest
chance of seeing what the fuss was about.
Of course we're glad that President Bush decided to come to Belfast
and we're glad that he indicated that Northern Ireland was a great place
to invest, which is what our politicians wanted out of the visit, but if
he didn't come to say Good Bye to Northern Ireland and the people of
Belfast on his farewell tour of Europe, then why did he come?
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