Well that example is clearly interferring with the business of a separate state of course--especially since he would have been making comments in his professional capacity as President of the U.S.

However, I am curious, when did President Bush 'dictate' to the Palistinian people who they SHOULD NOT vote for? Is this quoted? I must've missed it on CNN or the International version of BBC (I realize our news may at times be slanted) I guess. I know that he called for elections, but that does not preclude Arafat from running or being elected. It is my understanding that Arafat is running and will probably be reelected by the majority of the people. Where can I find the quote of President Bush saying not to vote for Arafat? I'm interested, because that would be a prime example of EXACTLY what other countries eject to when claiming the U.S. interferes too much. Of course, controlling the trade market in other countries is another example! The U.S. does that all the time to put pressure on countries to do what it wants as a global influence. Of course there is another side to that argument...

Anyway, I assume you mean the G8 speech? While I've only heard exherpts on the news, I didn't find anything in the text (granted I glanced over it) that tells the Palistinians not to vote for Arafat. There are references to new leadership, but that is hardly the same.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,743503,00.html

Is the below what you mean:

"Peace requires a new and different Palestinian leadership, so that a Palestinian state can be born.

I call on the Palestinian people to elect new leaders, leaders not compromised by terror. I call upon them to build a practising democracy, based on tolerance and liberty. ..."


Tracy

>>While that was perhaps VERY unprofessional behavior on behalf of the ambassador, I think it is not technically interfering--was he representing the govt when he made that statement? If so, he should be relieved of all duties and replaced. If not and it was just poorly chosen words or words taken out of context, perhaps he should still be replaced.
>
>Should this also apply to your President, when he dictates to the Palestinian people who they should (or, in this case, should not) vote for ?