As we all know by now, George W. Bush is not a popular figure – and that is particularly true in central Europe. In this tongue-in-cheek, month-by-month look ‘back’ at 2009, Patrik Etschmayer of the Swiss newspaper Nachrichten takes some parting shots at, among other things, President Bush and Vice President Cheney, the Swiss government, Microsoft and a number of Formula One racing teams.
Etschmayer’s February entry reads in part:
“Nearly a fortnight after his inauguration, Barack Obama announces that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney will be pilloried in Washington D.C. [graphic, left]. American citizens and tourists alike were at their discretion permitted to throw shoes at them. “And this time, Dubya cannot duck away!” Only hours after the announcement, all flights from Iraq to the United States were fully booked and shoe stores in Baghdad emptied. ”
By Patrik Etschmayer
Translated By Patrik Etschmayer
December 29, 2008
Switzerland – Nachrichten – Original Article (German)
JANUARY: Following an initial training period, the newest member of the Swiss Federal Council, Ueli Maurer, declares at a January press conference that things for the Swiss Army aren’t so bad after all. While he said the army certainly wasn’t ready for combat and lacks a functioning infrastructure, these problems could be resolved by repeat training courses for service members on ships cruising the coast of Somalia [for pirates]. This will allow us to rebuild the infrastructure at home without service members getting in the way.”
[Editor’s Note: The Swiss Federal Council is a seven-member executive council which constitutes the federal government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state ].
FEBRUARY: Nearly a fortnight after his inauguration, Barack Obama announces that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney will be pilloried in Washington D.C. [graphic, left]. American citizens and tourists alike were at their discretion permitted to throw shoes at them. “And this time, Dubya cannot duck away!” Only hours after the announcement, all flights from Iraq to the United States were fully booked and shoe stores in Baghdad emptied.
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