At the Athens summit Mr Giscard d'Estaing noted that two smaller states, Denmark and Sweden, had recently announced their support for the idea of an EU president. The creation of such a post would, he thought, help to settle the question posed by the former US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, of whom to call in Europe in an emergency, and it could also help to prevent a repetition of the arguments that erupted over military action in Iraq. Candidates for such a post were rumoured to include Mr Blair, Fogh Rasmussen, the Danish Prime Minister, and José María Aznar, the Spanish Prime Minister.
Now why is it that, whenever that old Kissinger chestnut is rolled out, it's always followed by something Atlanticist? And the only Serious™ candidates for "president of the EU" just happen to be Washington-petted poodles?
(that Kissinger comment was before modern IT, presumably. He could just send an email, these days) In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Candidates for such a post were rumoured to include Mr Blair, Fogh Rasmussen, the Danish Prime Minister, and José María Aznar, the Spanish Prime Minister.
<barf>
If it's a consolation, Bliar is the only one of those three who is still at large. Aznar faded back into relative obscurity after he got spanked in the '03 election and Fogh has a cushy gig at NATO, where at least he won't do any appreciable harm (NATO is already a branch of the Pentagun, so having a Quisling there doesn't really matter).
So all that's left is to hope that Bliar has an accident involving a stray bullet while visiting Palestine. But of course, that would require him actually going outside his air-conditioned hotel and - y'know, doing his job. So that's unfortunately unlikely to happen.
- Jake If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.
But Hague isn't going to happen for Bliar. Hague is for brown people who speak funny. And Russians, of course. Now, if he had retired to relative obscurity, like Aznar or Bush the Lesser, I could live with that. I don't think that Bush or Aznar are going to be in a position where they can murder people again. Bliar is actively planning to assume such a position (or at least his faction of oligarchs is).
Or to put it another way, would you have been similarly shocked if I had expressed happiness with the passing of Pinochet, Castro or Milosevic? Almost by any accounting, Bliar has more blood on his hands - and a smaller prospect of ever facing determined prosecution for it - than the other three did when they were alive.
</hijack>
We don't know who's pulling his rather jerky strings. This could be a useful thing to find out.
Telegraph - Rat plans to leave sinking ship Lord Mandelson: I would work for Tories In an interview, the Business Secretary said he would be willing to put his experience at the disposal of the country, if Labour lost power. "As I grow older, I can imagine more ways of serving my country than simply being a party politician," he said. The best way he has ever served the ocuntry was when he was (serially) walking out of downing St having been sacked.
In an interview, the Business Secretary said he would be willing to put his experience at the disposal of the country, if Labour lost power. "As I grow older, I can imagine more ways of serving my country than simply being a party politician," he said.
The best way he has ever served the ocuntry was when he was (serially) walking out of downing St having been sacked.
ceebs:
John Rentoul - Flibbertiwhat?My esteemed colleague Andrew Grice noticed Peter Mandelson's description in his speech today of David Cameron as a "shallow flibbertigibbet", and says it is a word he has not heard for some time.
My esteemed colleague Andrew Grice noticed Peter Mandelson's description in his speech today of David Cameron as a "shallow flibbertigibbet", and says it is a word he has not heard for some time.
