Did Laura Bush's visit almost trigger a massacre?

That's what an employee of the US-consulate general told The Independent says. Despite the post-event spin by Peace Envoy and horse-masturbation-comedian Laura Bush, the event sounded a little more sensitive than you might read in the AP version of the story.

"If the police hadn't stepped in," a Palestinian employee of the US consulate-general told The Independent, "there would have been a massacre. The Muslim officials didn't do anything to stop the protesters. If they'd got any closer, the American security men would have shot them."

Also missing in the AP version was the lukewarm response to her "human rights" pitch. Considering the constant stream of stories about Muslim prisoners being abused and even murdered, this should not come as a surprise. (Must still be Newsweek's fault.)

Hey Laura, if you're going to talk the talk then walk the walk.

Update: I missed the WaPo article on the same subject (which also smooths over a few points and finishes with a sugary ending) that says Laura met with a local peace activist. Ha! In nthe US peace activists are singled out, arrested, followed by the FBI but not so overseas, apparently.