In my view, the way some EU countries' governments plotted their participation in the illegal Iraq war without even consulting the other EU members was a profound betrayal of the European idea, an action which has dealt the EU deep and still festering wound. I know that I do not like to be associated, through the EU, with governments who were and are involved in Bush's conspiracy. Now the revelations about the rendition flights add new aspects to the general disillusion. With a discredited and unprincipled political class in almost every EU country,is it any wonder that the public loses trust in these politicians' projects?
I believe it is past time the UK, Denmark, Poland and Romania made up their mind whether they want to be associated with the EU on the majority's terms, in good faith, or rather prefer to cleave to the USA and its neoliberal gospel and aggressive doctrine. Their dual loyalties and ulterior motives are harmful for the EU. As long as these trust issues are not sorted out, it seems pointless to argue about the timetable for the Constitution and similar technicalities.
It is entirely possible that opposition to the US will be the required new organizing principle for progress in European integration, but it will take a lot more brutality from the US and a new generation of political leaders in Europe. NATO has to go. guaranteed to evoke a violent reaction from police is to challenge their right to "define the situation." --- David Graeber citing Marc Cooper
The British population reacted to Bush much the same as that of other European nations. If Blair had taken a line like Chirac or Schroeder about Iraq, he would probably be more popular at home than he now is.
Rendition demonstrates that most European governments do not want to annoy the Americans. I am not aware that any of them have seriously tried to stop the flights or raise them in the European Council.
My next comments relate to the European Union as it is rather than to the federal Europe I would prefer.
Britain has as much right as any other member state to argue for its vision of the EU's future. Although I would like my country to rebalance its foreign policy more towards Europe and less to the United States, I do not think we can give automatic, unconditional allegiance to some other members interpretation of how Europe should develop. Everything has to be negotiated and agreed within the institutional framework of the EU.
Brava Italia!!!! "In such an environment it is not surprising that the ills of technology should seem curable only through the application of more technology..." John W Aldridge
pix of pols molesting kids? ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
