Dubya Nails One

Speaking at a conference of pro-democratic activists, Bush mentioned the fates of Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary and former East Germany that toppled communism almost 18 years ago when also the Iron Curtain was removed, in connection with his country's effort to spread and defend freedom against current threats.

He said that Europe has at last been a continent of peace, but new threats to freedom have emerged.

"I leave Prague with a certainty that the cause of freedom is not tired, and that its future is in the best of hands," Bush said at the close of his half-an-hour speech for which he got a standing ovation.

That said, the Prague Monitor searched for attendees that were critical of his comments. They found some, although their criticism was rather milquetoast, with little substance.

Bassem Eid, head of the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group, said Bush has not really fulfilled his promises about support of democracy. It was positive that people expect a change thanks to Bush, but it did not seem that any change took place, Eid told CTK.

He said that Western countries mainly focus on their economic interests and support Arab leaders instead of really helping the civic society.

Analyst Fraser Cameron, former aide to the European Commission, said he believes that the U.S. way of democracy promotion in the Middle East has failed.