Bush Curses Hezbollah's Actions

U.S. President George W. Bush, right, talks to Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting at the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, Monday July 17, 2006. British Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan called Monday for the deployment of international forces to stop the bombardment of Israel from southern Lebanon. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, pool) (Ivan Sekretarev - AP)

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- President Bush cursed Hezbollah's attacks against Israel in private conversations with foreign leaders Monday that were picked up by a microphone.

Bush expressed his frustration with the United Nations and his disgust with the militant Islamic group and its backers in Syria as he talked to British Prime Minister Tony Blair during the closing lunch at the Group of Eight summit.

"See the irony is that what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this (expletive) and it's over," Bush told Blair as he chewed on a buttered roll.

He told Blair he felt like telling U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who visited the gathered leaders "to get on the phone with (Syrian President Bashar) Assad, make something happen."

The unscripted comments came during a photo opportunity at the lunch. Bush and Blair clearly did not realize that a live microphone was picking up their discussion.

Bush also spoke to other leaders, and his unscripted comments ranged from the serious topic of escalating violence in the Mideast to light banter about his preference for Diet Coke and a gift he received from another leader.

Blair, whose remarks were not as clearly heard, appeared to be pressing Bush about the importance of getting international peacekeepers into the region.

As he chats with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bush expresses amazement that it will take Putin just as long to fly home to Moscow as it will take him to fly back to Washington. Putin's reply could not be heard.

"Russia's big and so is China," Bush said.

Bush, a stickler for keeping to his schedule, also thanked one leader for a gift of sweaters and joked that he knew the leader had picked them out personally. Bush could also be heard saying, "We have to keep this thing moving. I have to leave at 2:15. They want me out of here to free up their security forces."

Bush also remarked that some of the speakers at the meeting had the tendency to talk too long.

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