http://news.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=426132774
Dubya shoots from the lip, again
President Bush dropped one of his trademark clangers on Monday, referring to Pakistanis as “Pakis”, a term that is considered an ethnic slur, especially in Britain.
The gaffe came when Bush told reporters that the US is “working hard to convince both the Indians and the Pakis there’s a way to deal with their problems without going to war.” The White House clarified soon after that the President meant no disrespect to the Pakistani people.
“The president has great respect for Pakistan, the Pakistani people, and the Pakistani culture. Pakistan has been a strong member of the international coalition in the war against terrorism,” White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.
Even well-versed American commentators –- as well as many Indians – routinely use the terms “Paks” and “Pakis” to describe Pakistanis, unaware that the expression is as insulting as other etiquette-busters such as “Japs,” “Red Indians,” and “Negroes.”
Bush, less-versed in foreign affairs -– much less in South Asia – than his advisers, has made other blunders. Before he assumed presidency, he was ambushed on a quiz show and asked to name the leaders of India and Pakistan. He couldn’t. Early in his Presidency, a cartoon showed him wondering why India and Pakistan were fighting over a sweater (Cashmere)