No Regrets, Even About Genocide

"A November report by the United Nations estimated that of the 2.5 million children in the world with HIV, nearly 90 percent live in sub-Saharan Africa and the overwhelming majority of those acquired the infection from their mothers. Yet funding for family planning has fallen in spite of recent studies showing it is more effective in limiting the number of HIV positive children."

A Ghanaian reporter confronted Bush on that issue at today's press conference: "President Bush, we know that your support for the fight against HIV/AIDS has been driven by promoting sexual abstinence and fidelity to each other's partner. In African societies, we know that this doesn't really strike a chord because multiple sexual relationships or partner relationships is the reality, though it's not spoken of in public. So how realistic an approach would you want to be adopted in fighting HIV/AIDS within this particular context? Thank you."

Bush insisted that the program, as it exists, is working just fine. "I monitor the results. And if it looks like it's not working, then we'll change," he said. "But thus far I can report, at least to our citizens, that the program has been unbelievably effective. And we're going to stay at it."

Bush Calls Bull

Ben Feller writes for the Associated Press: "President Bush said Wednesday that talk of the United States building new military bases in Africa to expand its influence is 'baloney.'

"The Defense Department created Africa Command last October to consolidate operations that had been split among three other regional commands, none of which had Africa as a primary focus.

"Several African countries, including Libya, Nigeria and South Africa, have expressed deep reservations, fearing the plan signals an unwanted expansion of American power on the continent or is a cover for protecting Africa's vast oil resources on the United States' behalf."

Bush brought up the subject himself in his joint press conference with Ghanaian President John Kufuor today: "[T]he purpose of this is not to add military bases," he said. "I know there's rumors in Ghana, 'All Bush is coming to do is try to convince you to put a big military base here.' That's baloney. (Laughter.) Or as we say in Texas, that's bull. (Laughter.) Mr. President made it clear to me, he said, look, we -- you're not going to build in any bases in Ghana. I said, I understand; nor do we want to. Now, that doesn't mean we won't develop some kind of office somewhere in Africa. We haven't made our minds up. This is a new concept."

Pakistan Watch

Helene Cooper writes in the New York Times: "The Bush administration was scrambling Tuesday to pick up the pieces of its shattered Pakistan policy after the trouncing that the party of President Bush's ally, President Pervez Musharraf, received in parliamentary elections.

"The United States would still like to see Pakistan's opposition leaders find a way to work with Mr. Musharraf in some kind of power-sharing deal, administration officials said, but that notion appears increasingly unlikely given how poorly Mr. Musharraf's party did in the elections, against strong showings by the Pakistan Peoples Party of the late Benazir Bhutto and the party of Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister. . . .

"[A]dministration officials say Mr. Musharraf remains the administration's preferred Pakistani leader, considering his record of cooperation with American-led counterterrorism operations. Until the day of the elections, administration officials were still hoping that Mr. Musharraf's party would eke out enough votes to allow the power-sharing plan to go forward."

Ben Feller writes for the Associated Press: "President Bush said Wednesday that Pakistani elections have been judged as 'fair' and that the opposition parties' win is a 'victory in the war on terror.'

"'There were elections held that have been judged as being fair, and the people have spoken,' Bush said at a news conference in Ghana. . .