Speaking in South Korea before he goes on to Beijing for the Olympics on Friday, Mr Bush said its pre-Olympics crackdown on dissent was “a mistake”.
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“I have been meeting Chinese leaders for seven and a half years, and my message has been the same: you should not fear religious people in your society,” Mr Bush told reporters.

“As a matter of fact, religious people will make your society a better place. You ought to welcome people being able to express their minds.”
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“This is an athletics event. But it’s also an opportunity to say to the Chinese people, we respect your traditions, we respect your history,” he said.

“The reason I’m going to the Olympics is twofold - one, to show my respect for the people of China, and two, to cheer on the US team.”

From South Korea Mr Bush goes to the Thai capital, Bangkok, where he is expected to address the issue of Burma. 

Draft speech for Bangkok, Thailand, August 8th 2008, written by and for US President, George W. Bush. Submitted to the Federal Government Speech-Writing Department for approval.

Mr Sundaravej, The government of Thailand and the Thai people, thank you for this opportunity to speak to you.

It is a momentous time for Asia. China is about to hold the Olympics, the economies are booming, kind of, and I am here. These are all good things.

But God is also punishing you with some really drunk weather and natural earthquakes. And God is also punishing the people of Burma. Mr Sunday-veg, your neighbor has a problem. It is not a free society. Not like your glorious democracy, previously headed by human rights expert Thaksin Shinawatra and now by yourself. Free societies are a good thing, like ours in the United States. Respect for human rights is also a good thing, as you all know. But they don’t know this in Burma.

They don’t know this in China either, where they should be more religious. They have recently had problems with Muslamic separatists, but they should love the Muslamic people, cherish them like we do in America. For Muslamic people are also people, and they know many things we don’t know. They, too, can express their minds. That’s why we’re so keen to find out what they know and what they don’t know. We can sell you information on water-boarding, for the right price.

But we respect China - it’s very big, I think - and we respect Thailand, because you’re not from Burma, I don’t think. However, we are going to WHIP YOUR ASSES in the Olympics! Oooooh yeah! We are going to SPANK YOU TILL YOU’RE SORE! GO AMERICA.

Thank you. God Bless. 

Response from Chief of Staff, Federal Government Speech-Writing Department to draft speech for President Bush, Bangkok, August 8th 2008.

Mr President,

Almost perfect. A few minor revisions necessary. My deputies will advise - I am on leave until January.

Tags: international relations, george w. bush, olympics, china, thailand, some really drunk weather, muslamic separatists, burma