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Europe
Military strike on Iran would be a "mistake": EU's Solana
2005-02-06
Solana thinks everything we do is a mistake, so this isn't exactly news.
A shock military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities would be a "mistake", the European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Sunday in a British television interview. Speaking on ITV's Jonathan Dimbleby programme, the EU's high representative for foreign and security policy said that such unilateral action would be counter-productive.
Especially for the Iranian nuclear program.
Asked about US Vice President Dick Cheney's warning last month that Israel might attack Iran's nuclear facilities without warning, Solana said: "I think that would be something I would not like to see taking place. That would be a mistake. That will complicate enormously the situation."
We like to think of it as simplifying our situation, but you think what you like.
"Unilateral action of that nature I don't think will contribute to what is the aim of everybody," he added. "I don't think at this point in time that it is worth thinking about that." Asked if he agreed with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw that US military action against Iran is "inconceivable", Solana replied: "I think at this point in time military action... is very difficult to conceive."
Ah, leaving the door ajar, eh?
"I don't think that the United States has at this point of time the wish or the will or the capability to do that."
Heh, to borrow from the famous American philosopher, Bugs Bunny, "he don't know me vewy well, do he?"
Asked whether he agreed with US President George W. Bush's description of Iran as "the world's primary state sponsor of terror", Solana said: "Well it's very difficult to say who is the first, or the second, or the third".
Who's on first?
"But there is no doubt that Iran has... in its territory and financially it helps organisations which are terrorist inclined," he said, adding: "I don't know that is being done directly by the most important people in the country."
Does this guy take a stand on anything?
Posted by:Steve White

#11  "A shock military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities would be a “mistake”

A shock military strike against Hitler would be a mistake. Do I hear a echo that took 66 years to travel?
Posted by: Poison Reverse   2005-02-06 3:34:28 PM  

#10  "Unilateral action of that nature I don’t think will contribute to what is the aim of everybody"
Let's see... did so-called "unilateral" action in Iraq "contribute to what is the aim of everybody"?
It worked for me. It worked for the better part of 25 million Iraqis -- especially the Shiites and the Kurds. Of course it didn't work for France or the EU in general. No more weapons and technology sales to Saddam. No more loan paybacks by Saddam. No more Oil-for-Food kickbacks from Saddam. No more monopoly of food sales to Iraq. Rinse, repeat for Iran.
Posted by: Tom   2005-02-06 11:31:05 AM  

#9  I don’t think will contribute to what is the aim of everybody
Just what is "the aim of everyone"? Has the EU proposed any action? The EU is a bunch of limp dicks and all the bad guys know it. Go away and don't come back until you grow a pair.
Posted by: Spot   2005-02-06 11:18:57 AM  

#8  Let's rephrase that in 1936 terms "Military action if the Germans reoccupy the Rhineland or annexes Austria would be a mistake." That certainly led to peace, happiness, puppy dogs and baby ducks.
Posted by: Glereger Ebbigum6429   2005-02-06 9:57:18 AM  

#7  No. No. No! The only sophisticated and mature way to deal with the Islamic world is the EU way: turn around, bend over, and drop your pants*.

*The sequence is not a typo --- it's the EUfficient way of doing things.
Posted by: gromgorru   2005-02-06 7:49:02 AM  

#6  Javier Solana has a taste for fine clothing and being made to feel important. Guess what. Here the the USofA he is just another Euro clown. No one really spends a lot of time to thinking about how he "feels" about the middle east. He would sell us out for a new suit. Enjoy your leadership position in a toothless, feckless waste of energy. Stay the hell out of our way you back stabbing clown.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2005-02-06 2:06:02 AM  

#5  And to say...the longer he stays neutral on things, the more paychecks he draws!
Posted by: smn   2005-02-06 1:18:31 AM  

#4  I don't normally attack individuals for what I consider institutional failings, but I find Solana creepy, oily, slimy, smarmy, weasily.
Posted by: phil_b   2005-02-06 12:49:40 AM  

#3  "aquatically inclined"

LOL! That's timeless, JH, lol!
Posted by: .com   2005-02-06 12:39:29 AM  

#2  First, I thought this was s-face.

“Well it’s very difficult to say who is the first, or the second, or the third”.

-I believe the question was - are they the world's primary? This guy didn't even do a good politician dodge - first, second, third? What a douche.

“But there is no doubt that Iran has... in its territory and financially it helps organisations which are terrorist inclined,”

Kind of like saying a fish is "aquatically inclined". What a puss.
Posted by: Jeamp Ebbereting9472 aka Jarhead   2005-02-06 12:35:29 AM  

#1  He's the Straw Man, Steve, we can expect nothing else.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2005-02-06 12:27:48 AM  

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