it's hard to see how he could lead a crusade against a socialist former premier when he has just supported the re-election as head of the Commission of a conservative former PM who was just as favourable to the Iraq war, Jose Manuel Durao Barroso

I must say I found this fairly empty spin when I read it in Quatremer's blog. If Zapatero is not favourable to Blair, he won't be openly basing it on Iraq, that's all. He could simply take the "small presidency" side, for instance. (Insofar as these elements enter into consideration among the heads of government in the European Council...)