Thursday, June 4, 2009

Bush Defends Clinton's Record on Genocide in Rwanda

The comments came during a face-to-face discussion with the former presidents on a range of issues in Toronto.

FOXNews.com
May 29, 2009

President Bush, at one point calling President Clinton "brother," defended his predecessor's record on Rwanda during the former U.S. leaders' face-to-face discussion Friday on a range of issues in Toronto.

The event's moderator had asked Clinton whether he had done enough to stop the genocide in Rwanda that occurred early during the Clinton administration, the CBC reported.

"We couldn't have saved all of them," Clinton said, but he lamented that "we could have saved as many as 300,000 lives. ... I have no defense."

But Bush added that it was "not realistic" to think that the Rwandan genocide could have been stopped with a mere phone call by the U.S. president, the CBC reported.

As for the crisis in Darfur during Bush's administration, "I was confronted by a situation of where do I send the Marines?" Bush said, explaining that international consensus was against acting unilaterally.

The event was moderated by Frank McKenna, Canada's former ambassador to the United States. It was the two former presidents' first appearance together on stage.

Bush said he never liked it when previous administration officials criticized his government but says Clinton was respectful and never did.

Bush said his mother, Barbara Bush, quips that "President Clinton and Father share the stage so much, he's like a son to her. ... So, brother, it's good to see you."

Among the other issues discussed were AIDS and border security.

Click here for more from the CBC.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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1 comment:

  1. CarolineJune 20, 2009 at 1:01 PM

    It's happening now in the Congo. Six million killed by Paul Kagame and his Rwandan army. What is Clinton and Bush doing? Will they share the stage again in 5 or 10 years and give us the same stories. Where are they when people really need them?? The Congolese people need Clinton and Bush to tell Kagame and his Rwandan soldiers to leave the Congo.

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