Today is George Washington´s birthday. There´s an excellent appreciation of the great man over at Powerline.
Power Line: February 2005 Archives
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
German Help for Iran´s Nuclear Weapons
As diplomats from the "E 3" (Germany, France and the UK) try to dissuade Iran´s mullahs from producing nuclear bombs, German firms are continuing to sell materials and expertise to support the development programme. Police in Berlin and Stuttgart are currently investigating cases involving German companies. Iran is said to be about 3 years away from full nuclear capability.
Bayerischer Rundfunk | report M?NCHEN
Bayerischer Rundfunk | report M?NCHEN
Anti-Muslim Violence in Holland
A throwaway remark of President Bush´s in his Brussels speech yesterday upset the Dutch Foreign Minister. Bush referred to unacceptable violence in Holland - referring, presumably, to the attacks on mosques and Muslim institutions in the backlash to Theo van Gogh´s murder in November 2004.
The Dutch Foreign Minister, Bot, feigning that he hadn´t completely understood Bush´s intentions, said he would have preferred it if the "mysterious little sentence" had been left out of the speech.
Meanwhile, another attack on a mosque in Holland was foiled last night. It is the 43rd such incident since van Gogh´s murder.
de Volkskrant - Moet dat nou, dat zinnetje over geweld in Nederland?
The Dutch Foreign Minister, Bot, feigning that he hadn´t completely understood Bush´s intentions, said he would have preferred it if the "mysterious little sentence" had been left out of the speech.
Meanwhile, another attack on a mosque in Holland was foiled last night. It is the 43rd such incident since van Gogh´s murder.
de Volkskrant - Moet dat nou, dat zinnetje over geweld in Nederland?
A Meeting of Minds
President Bush isn´t the only one doing his best to smooth the ground for a meeting of minds, with his soothing words yesterday to European leaders. They´re busily at it on the other side of the globe as well.
Hu Jintao, President of China, has been encouraging Kim Jong Il of North Korea to return to the six-party talks on atomic weaponry he abandoned last week. Kim Jong Il, for his part, said that he remained committed to the "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula" and was only waiting for the US to show "trustworthy sincerity and move."
Kim Jong Il´s famous book, "Giving Priority to Ideological Work is Essential for Accomplishing Socialism", meanwhile, is being published to great acclaim in India.
There´s nothing more fruitful than a true meeting of minds.
News From KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY of DPRK
Hu Jintao, President of China, has been encouraging Kim Jong Il of North Korea to return to the six-party talks on atomic weaponry he abandoned last week. Kim Jong Il, for his part, said that he remained committed to the "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula" and was only waiting for the US to show "trustworthy sincerity and move."
Kim Jong Il´s famous book, "Giving Priority to Ideological Work is Essential for Accomplishing Socialism", meanwhile, is being published to great acclaim in India.
There´s nothing more fruitful than a true meeting of minds.
News From KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY of DPRK
Monday, February 21, 2005
Spanish Si
Yesterday's Spanish Si to the EU's draft constitution is no surprise: it was a bit of a no-brainer in Spain.
The EU there is associated with the establishment of lasting democracy and peacable affluence in Europe after decades of Franco's fascist dictatorship. And with the billions of strongly-branded EU Euros invested in roads and infrastructure since.
There was a low turnout (40%). The consitution was "approved" by 78.5% of voters. That´s about one in three of the population. It's not an especially resounding vote of confidence - but then again, not a lot was seen to be at stake. In Spain, the EU project is truly mainstream and opposition is confined to the fringes. This is less and less true as the ratification process proceeds across Europe.
The EU there is associated with the establishment of lasting democracy and peacable affluence in Europe after decades of Franco's fascist dictatorship. And with the billions of strongly-branded EU Euros invested in roads and infrastructure since.
There was a low turnout (40%). The consitution was "approved" by 78.5% of voters. That´s about one in three of the population. It's not an especially resounding vote of confidence - but then again, not a lot was seen to be at stake. In Spain, the EU project is truly mainstream and opposition is confined to the fringes. This is less and less true as the ratification process proceeds across Europe.
Schleswig-Holstein
A regional election in Schleswig-Holstein sees the centrist CDU taking over from the leftist SPD as largest party.
This is partly a punishment for the SPD national government: it presides over 5 million unemployed, the worst level since Weimar.
And it´s partly a vindication of the underestimated CDU leader, Peter Harry Carstensen, who shows that uncomplicated decency is not always a weakness. Would there were more of his sort in Europe today.
Update: An alliance with tiny independent party the SSW (which represents the Danish minority) has meant that the SPD may remain in government even if the voting swing has indeed made the CDU the party with the most seats. The Schleswig-Holstein Prime Minister since 1993, Heide Simonis, was unwilling even to consider handing over power as long as there was a possibility she could cling on. It looks like this may now come to pass. The winning CDU party looks to be excluded from power-sharing.
Such political behaviour is not, of course, illegal - but in going so blatantly
against the electoral flow, it is undemocratic, and in pandering so shamelessly to
the lust for power of a poliician rejected by the voters, it is politicking at
its most immoral, In short, it merits the blog's strongest sanction.
Accordingly, and with some regret,the blog calls down the Curse of
Von Esens and invokes it on Heide Simonis' head.
This is partly a punishment for the SPD national government: it presides over 5 million unemployed, the worst level since Weimar.
And it´s partly a vindication of the underestimated CDU leader, Peter Harry Carstensen, who shows that uncomplicated decency is not always a weakness. Would there were more of his sort in Europe today.
Update: An alliance with tiny independent party the SSW (which represents the Danish minority) has meant that the SPD may remain in government even if the voting swing has indeed made the CDU the party with the most seats. The Schleswig-Holstein Prime Minister since 1993, Heide Simonis, was unwilling even to consider handing over power as long as there was a possibility she could cling on. It looks like this may now come to pass. The winning CDU party looks to be excluded from power-sharing.
Such political behaviour is not, of course, illegal - but in going so blatantly
against the electoral flow, it is undemocratic, and in pandering so shamelessly to
the lust for power of a poliician rejected by the voters, it is politicking at
its most immoral, In short, it merits the blog's strongest sanction.
Accordingly, and with some regret,the blog calls down the Curse of
Von Esens and invokes it on Heide Simonis' head.
Bush in Brussels 2
Bush knows that the stronger and more federal the EU becomes, the stronger and more obstinate its resistance to US policies.
And the EU is recasting its place in the world. The EU is now more focussed on sharpening its own profile (see Outer Space). Fortuitously, Bush´s showing in current Euro-opinion polls is abysmal. The EU can thus conveniently sharpen its profile on the whetstone of US/Bush policies - vis à vis Iraq, Iran, and Chinese arms, to name but three. Schroeder's remarks about NATO (see Germany's Interesting Plans for NATO) should be seen in this context.
EU oppositionism to the US, therefore, is driven partly by this desire to fashion a separate identity.
Some folks reckon Bush doesn't and shouldn't worry about that. Maybe - there's certainly no votes in it for him - but then why bother with the whole fence-mending European trip in the first place?
The truth is that new blocs or alliances (outside Europe) are emerging to threaten US interests, and the US needs the EU onside to offset the threat. These blocs include Russia-Iran-Syria and China-North Korea. In Iran the "EU 3" (Germany, France and the UK) are trying to stop Iran through diplomacy, backed by the US military. In China, the EU is actively working against Washington to have the arms embargo lifted.
So there's plenty of conflict areas, beyond Iraq, where active EU support could help Bush, and continued oppostionism would damage him. Not directly in terms of votes, but in helping to turn some of his visionary goals into reality.
In this light, there´s a fair amount for Bush to gain. There may be more to this European jaunt than the usual diplomatic soundbites and pictures. The question is whether breaking the diplomatic deadlock will actually lead to tangible results, or whether it's just a preliminary manoeuvre.
And the EU is recasting its place in the world. The EU is now more focussed on sharpening its own profile (see Outer Space). Fortuitously, Bush´s showing in current Euro-opinion polls is abysmal. The EU can thus conveniently sharpen its profile on the whetstone of US/Bush policies - vis à vis Iraq, Iran, and Chinese arms, to name but three. Schroeder's remarks about NATO (see Germany's Interesting Plans for NATO) should be seen in this context.
EU oppositionism to the US, therefore, is driven partly by this desire to fashion a separate identity.
Some folks reckon Bush doesn't and shouldn't worry about that. Maybe - there's certainly no votes in it for him - but then why bother with the whole fence-mending European trip in the first place?
The truth is that new blocs or alliances (outside Europe) are emerging to threaten US interests, and the US needs the EU onside to offset the threat. These blocs include Russia-Iran-Syria and China-North Korea. In Iran the "EU 3" (Germany, France and the UK) are trying to stop Iran through diplomacy, backed by the US military. In China, the EU is actively working against Washington to have the arms embargo lifted.
So there's plenty of conflict areas, beyond Iraq, where active EU support could help Bush, and continued oppostionism would damage him. Not directly in terms of votes, but in helping to turn some of his visionary goals into reality.
In this light, there´s a fair amount for Bush to gain. There may be more to this European jaunt than the usual diplomatic soundbites and pictures. The question is whether breaking the diplomatic deadlock will actually lead to tangible results, or whether it's just a preliminary manoeuvre.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
The EU´s Space Policy
Quote from the EU's document: "Space provides a source of unique and essential tools, enabling governments and international bodies to tackle critical social and political issues."
One of the essential tools mentioned is presumably the EU Constitution, which the EU is launching into outer space (see Constitution in Space).
Anyhow, interesting. And this space document as a whole is full of projects, many of them excellent, many of them as crazy and pointless as sending the constitution into orbit.
Reading it shows you just how out-of-touch a lot of anti-EU commentators have become: - in a lot of areas, the EU is steaming full speed ahead, assuming powers and roles by a de facto assumption and/or usurpation of them.
What is clear is that the EU´s powers and roles will expand indefinitely and incrementally, if left unchecked. And the best way to define and limit those powers is what the constitutional debate should be all about. Otherwise, given the overweening appetites of politicians and bureaucrats, the sky will literally be the limit.
EUROPA - Rapid - Press Releases
One of the essential tools mentioned is presumably the EU Constitution, which the EU is launching into outer space (see Constitution in Space).
Anyhow, interesting. And this space document as a whole is full of projects, many of them excellent, many of them as crazy and pointless as sending the constitution into orbit.
Reading it shows you just how out-of-touch a lot of anti-EU commentators have become: - in a lot of areas, the EU is steaming full speed ahead, assuming powers and roles by a de facto assumption and/or usurpation of them.
What is clear is that the EU´s powers and roles will expand indefinitely and incrementally, if left unchecked. And the best way to define and limit those powers is what the constitutional debate should be all about. Otherwise, given the overweening appetites of politicians and bureaucrats, the sky will literally be the limit.
EUROPA - Rapid - Press Releases
Bush Defends NATO and Questions EU "Counterbalance"
In an interview with London´s Daily Telegraph, President Bush shores up NATO´s position against Chancellor Schroeder´s attack (see Germany´s Interesting Plans..) , and questions whether the role of the EU is to "counterbalance" US power. Given the values the EU and US share, he asks:
"Some have said we must have a unified Europe to balance America. Why, when in fact we share values and goals? As opposed to counter-balancing each other, why don't we view this as a moment when we can move in a concerted fashion to achieve those goals?"
The answer depends on the perspective you want to take: champions of a "counterbalancing" EU tend to see the world as containing a limited pot of goodies - goodies to be scrapped over by competing power blocs, the "zero sum game" approach. According to this view, the EU must unite and counterbalance the US or else the US will take all its goodies away. Bush (for the purposes of this interview) sees the world as one in which different power blocs can make common cause to promote shared values. In his view, more value will come from cooperating than from competing. It is an interesting moment of reversals: the leftist EU constitution-mongers championing a stance of Realpolitik and "self-interest", whilst the Republican President champions a stance of crusading freedom and democracy.
Telegraph News Bush rejects moves to boost EU military might
"Some have said we must have a unified Europe to balance America. Why, when in fact we share values and goals? As opposed to counter-balancing each other, why don't we view this as a moment when we can move in a concerted fashion to achieve those goals?"
The answer depends on the perspective you want to take: champions of a "counterbalancing" EU tend to see the world as containing a limited pot of goodies - goodies to be scrapped over by competing power blocs, the "zero sum game" approach. According to this view, the EU must unite and counterbalance the US or else the US will take all its goodies away. Bush (for the purposes of this interview) sees the world as one in which different power blocs can make common cause to promote shared values. In his view, more value will come from cooperating than from competing. It is an interesting moment of reversals: the leftist EU constitution-mongers championing a stance of Realpolitik and "self-interest", whilst the Republican President champions a stance of crusading freedom and democracy.
Telegraph News Bush rejects moves to boost EU military might
Killed for Being "Too German".
Hatun Sürücü, the 23 year old Turkish mother shot dead on Monday, was killed because she was "too German", said Muslim pupils celebrating the murder at a school in Berlin.
Hatun Sürücü had fled an arranged marriage at the age of 15, leaving Turkey to return to Germany with her son, Can. Born in Germany, she was imbued with Western ways, and was about to qualify as an electrical engineer. The police are still looking for the murderer.
Berliner Morgenpost: Kripo sucht Motiv f?r Mord an 23j?hriger T?
Hatun Sürücü had fled an arranged marriage at the age of 15, leaving Turkey to return to Germany with her son, Can. Born in Germany, she was imbued with Western ways, and was about to qualify as an electrical engineer. The police are still looking for the murderer.
Berliner Morgenpost: Kripo sucht Motiv f?r Mord an 23j?hriger T?
Friday, February 18, 2005
Eurabia
Diana West reviews Bat Ye´or´s new book "Eurabia", about the emergence of a new Euro-Arab axis in opposition to the US.
Everyone´s been saying that current population trends will make Europe a Muslim-dominated enclave by 2025 or thereabouts. This book considers whether such trends haven´t been foreshadowed by a sinister and cunning plan as well. Happy reading!
The emerging 'Eurabia' - The Washington Times: Editorials/OP-ED - February 18, 2005
Everyone´s been saying that current population trends will make Europe a Muslim-dominated enclave by 2025 or thereabouts. This book considers whether such trends haven´t been foreshadowed by a sinister and cunning plan as well. Happy reading!
The emerging 'Eurabia' - The Washington Times: Editorials/OP-ED - February 18, 2005
French Lessons in Cohabitation
The French government is desperately drawing up rules to discourage its members ripping off taxpayers in the matter of subsidised living space.
Earlier this week it emerged that Hervé Gaymard (a minister especially vehement about the need to make financial cuts), had installed himself in a taxpayer-funded, 600 square meter apartment near the Champs Elysée.
Now Prime Minister Raffarin is saying that space will be strictly allocated - 80 metres for a couple, plus 20 metres for each additional child.
Space allocation for political mistresses is still being calculated, we assume.
Le Monde.fr : Trois membres du gouvernement vont se plier aux nouvelles r?gles des logements de fonction
Earlier this week it emerged that Hervé Gaymard (a minister especially vehement about the need to make financial cuts), had installed himself in a taxpayer-funded, 600 square meter apartment near the Champs Elysée.
Now Prime Minister Raffarin is saying that space will be strictly allocated - 80 metres for a couple, plus 20 metres for each additional child.
Space allocation for political mistresses is still being calculated, we assume.
Le Monde.fr : Trois membres du gouvernement vont se plier aux nouvelles r?gles des logements de fonction
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)