smirk is trying "transformational diplomacy" on the EU

[donsu]

http://news.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=193172005

Bush's charm offensive déjà-vu

-snip-

To call this a charm offensive does insufficient justice to the White House’s military coordination. First Condoleezza Rice was calling the French foreign minister by his first name and urging petites Parisiennes to remember their piano practice. Then Donald Rumsfeld was joking with the Germans and being coyly diplomatic about the EU constitution.

Alas, this display of transatlantic tendresse is not just wildly premature but downright misleading. Gratifying as it may be for European leaders to receive a visit so early in the president’s second term, they should not assume that it is a sign of fine weather to come. On the other side of the Atlantic, the storm clouds are already gathering.

The buzz word in Washington is "transformational diplomacy", but this neatly obscures the question of who is being transformed and where. Gerhard Schroeder’s remarks about Nato having outlived its usefulness will not be welcome, nor will the bizarre French bid to transform relations with the Chinese by selling them arms. By contrast, transformation in Iran - and, since last week’s killing of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri, in Syria - is moving swiftly up the Bush agenda.

One group of people who remain very much themselves are the neo-conservatives. Contrary to popular belief, they are not abashed by the bloody chaos in Iraq. Far from it: they are flushed with success after the elections, ostensibly unconcerned by the Shiite victory, and eager to move on to new challenges in Syria and Iran - as Donald Rumsfeld predicted two years ago.
-snip-
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like the bushgang told us - they make the reality and we can accept it or not, but their reality is THE reality, period.

I'd like to "transform" the bushgang into prison.

[librechik]

1. Euros are too hip for that shit.

Fool them once, shame on them. Fool them twice? Not gonna happen. Shrub will pass through babbling on his little lavendar cloud, without leaving any impressions, let alone marks.

[Benbow]

3. One (of the many) mistakes that neocons make

is to assume that Europeans have short memories and the attention-span of a gnat. Shrub will be shmoozed, mostly, and he will return to the US thinking that he has been a rave hit. He will be told what he wants to hear, which may not be accurate, and he will be told nothing of importance.

Another mistake that neocons make - and Condi Rice was illustrating this beautifully - is to assume that Europe's enlightened interest lies in the same direction as that of Republican America, and that in Europe we are all waiting to be shown by America how it is done. It doesn't, and we aren't.

[Gyre]

7. I agree.

Funny watching the neocons try to use Machiavellian ploys on the EU, with the exception of Poland and Romania (where it consistantly seems to work). Myopic little whores!

Gyre

[tabasco]

2. He can't even pronounce it ...

let alone engage in any type of serious adult conversation.

When Bush travels, it only shows the rest of the world what an unqualified idiot he is. I am truly embarrassed that this simpering fool represents my country. It will take us many years to regain the trust of our allies after this dark age in American history.

But they will be there for us, and we will need them.

[Benbow]

4. Yes, we will be there for you -

- the very minute after Americans throw out the ultra-right, self-seeking, administration that still has the potential to bring disaster on all of us.

[neweurope]

5. The lizard Rice called a FRENCH by his FIRST NAME?????

Ah I can't laugh any more it's all too rotten... but this really IS funny. Some DIPLOMAT you got there! On explanation: Even people who have been close friends for years don't call each other by their first name in France - not in the top circles to which a French minister obviously belongs.

----------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[Spazito]

6. You have to love this!

Rumsfeld - Old Europe/New Europe
- Old Rumsfeld/New Rumsfeld

Old Bush/New Bush

Who the hell is writing these scripts, they are cartoonish at the very least!