Former president Bush battles Arab critics of his son ("My son is an honest man")

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http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/21/africa/ME_GEN_Gulf_Bush_Defending_Bush.php

Former president Bush battles Arab critics of his son

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates: Former U.S. president George H.W. Bush was forced here Tuesday into a defense of his son, current U.S. President George W. Bush, whose Mideast policies were derided by a hostile audience.

"My son is an honest man," Bush told Gulf Arabs attending a leadership conference here. "He is working hard for peace. It takes a lot of guts to get up and tell a father about his son in those terms when I just told you the thing that matters in my heart is my family."

Bush added: "How come everybody wants to come to the United States if the United States is so bad?"

...

"We do not respect your son. We do not respect what he's doing all over the world," a woman audience member bluntly told Bush after his keynote speech.

Bush appeared stunned as the audience of young business leaders whooped and whistled in approval.