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| Europe |
| European Parliament Chairman Censures European Leaders for Backing U.S. Position on Iraq |
| 2003-02-03 |
| In Prague on Friday Pat Cox, chairman of the Parliament of Europe, censured the letter of eight leaders of Europe backing the position of the United States on Iraq. "He c-c-c-censored them? Hold me, Ethel!" It would make me glad if the key leaders of Europe gave more time to the search for consensus than advance their own diplomatic initiatives, said Cox. Yar! The only people allowed to go off half-cocked on this continent is us! On Friday he had a meeting with Vladimir Spindla, Prime Minister of Czechia. Cox said that the settlement of the Iraq problem must rely on the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and censured a possible unilateral military action against Iraq. Clearly one of the requirements for being Chairman is an inability to count. If eight countries sign a letter of support, than it isn't unilateral, is it? The leaders of eight European countries put their signatures under a letter published on Thursday by The Times newspaper and some other European publications. The letter was undersigned by the president of Czechia and the prime ministers of Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, Italy and Denmark. The authors of the open letter back the United States in its planned hostilities against Iraq. To each of the eight, another big thank you from me. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #16 Ptah --- The Irish PM is probably worried about mosque construction up north. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-02-03 20:53:53 |
| #15 Frank Martin: I was surprised too. I don't think the British thought that the Irish wanted to have anything to do with anything in the British were involved. The PM of Ireland must be VERY worried about Saddam too.. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-02-03 19:08:37 |
| #14 France and Germany: Beware of Caucuses becoming Consensus. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-02-03 12:56:39 |
| #13 hmm Europe is to speak with one voice, we got 4 against, 10 for the US. When the French and Germans are "censuring" the majority, maybe the power structure is not one country one vote? And if it isn't, why are the smaller countries signing up? Seems to me that someone needs censure here... |
| Posted by: flash91 2003-02-03 12:03:31 |
| #12 European joke of the day (from the italian paper La Repubblica,monday Febr. 3rd, interview to a leftist leader): "...a strong , clear and UNCONDITIONED no to the war to Iraq...An eventual UN resolution is no longer a sufficient guarantee: the pressure by the USA on the UN inspectors are UNACCEPTABLE and they make the UN no longer credible". Boys, this guy says that EVEN IF the UN calls for war the left is UNCONDITIONALLY in favor of Saddam. You know, the UN is under USA control...This guy should be paid for being the best clown in the world. |
| Posted by: Poitiers 2003-02-03 11:28:16 |
| #11 I think the "censure" amounts to Mr Chairman making faces on his own. If my Mom was still around, she'd warn him his face is gonna stay that way. |
| Posted by: Fred 2003-02-03 11:10:20 |
| #10 Seems to me that eight leaders is consensus, but I's just a iggerant Yank. In the US Congress, censure is a big fat hairy deal, a formal show of disapproval. Is it the same thing in the EP, or just one guy flapping his gums? Merde in (not en---I suspect there's a subtle difference) France is an American living in France. |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2003-02-03 11:06:18 |
| #9 Ireland is on the list as well. Their prime minister was rightly steamed for not even being asked to sign by the "8". Before you consider Ireland to be a backwater of the former United Kingdom, Their per capital annual family income is now higher than Germanys. They've also run into the buzzsaw of the EU when the decided to (GASP!) cut taxes and tarrifs to stimulate their enconomy. |
| Posted by: Frank Martin 2003-02-03 10:58:54 |
| #8 What the bloody 'ell is Czechia? |
| Posted by: Brian 2003-02-03 10:55:09 |
| #7 "Yar! The only people allowed to go off half-cocked on this continent is us! " See? I've got a half-cock right here... |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-02-03 10:19:19 |
| #6 I must confess that up to this moment that I have never heard of the Europarliament. And I have the feeling I am not alone.... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-02-03 10:12:30 |
| #5 I'm ready to show the Europarliament our national finger... |
| Posted by: Fred 2003-02-03 10:05:23 |
| #4 Good idea. They're on the list. I just love Gallic smartassery... |
| Posted by: Fred 2003-02-03 09:11:15 |
| #3 Posting from other computer. Previous comment is mine. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-02-03 04:30:01 |
| #2 "" Merde en France posts a link stating that Albania and Slovakia have joined the 8. The article points out how militarily poor the 10 are, compared to Nuclear France than Germany, but still notes the split in Euro opinion. Time to move bases. (Merde en France posts their posts in English and French, side by side. They're funny, irreverent, and display classical Gallic humor. And on the side of Truth, Justice, and Goodness (They say Rumsfield is right about "Old Europe"). Please add to the links on the right.) |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-02-03 04:28:15 |
| #1 A long time ago, in a Playground far, far away, a pact was made by a Tribe of children calling themselves "NATO"; and in this pact it was said that "An attack against one constitutes an attack against all". Perhaps 9/11 wasn't an attack, but an unfortunate misunderstanding of on how diplomacy is executed between two Tribes. Frankie goes to Hollywood in reverse. I do appreciate the German Army Decon unit with us here; they, like the Czechs' are standing by to assist the nation of Kuwait if Sammy does something silly like gassing innocent civilians of another nation. (read Diplomacy, Tribes, etc.) Hmmm.... |
| Posted by: Bodyguard 2003-02-03 03:17:30 |