European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

Will Brown's Dinner With Merkel Leave Bush Hungry?

by Joerg in Berlin
Tue Jul 17th, 2007 at 04:35:22 AM EST

Traditionally, the British prime minister's first foreign visit is to Washington, but Gordon Brown chose dinner with Angela Merkel instead. Is this the beginning of the end of the special relationship between the UK and the US?

Besides, Douglas Alexander, secretary of state for international development and Gordon Brown's "Mini-Me," gave a speech in Washington DC on Thursday. He was talking about forming "new alliances" to fight global poverty. He expressed his preference of a "rules-based international system" and of multilateralism over unilateralism. This created quite a stir and was interpreted as "coded criticism" of the Bush administration.

Meanwhile, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung predicts that French President Nicolas Sarkozy will fill the "vacuum" that Blair left in Washington.

More about all this debate in the Atlantic Community, a new Open Think Tank on Global Issues.

I would appreciate your thoughts!

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Will Brown's Dinner With Merkel Leave Bush Hungry? | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Brown's Dinner With Merkel (3.66 / 3)

One can hope...we will see if Brown can avoid Bush's powers of persuasion </snark>

Half the population is under the age of 18. Tanzania's future is NOW...join the 50% campaign!

by whataboutbob on Tue Jul 17th, 2007 at 04:43:43 AM EST

Re: Brown's Dinner With Merkel (none / 1)

"One can hope..."

Why so pessimistic?

by Joerg in Berlin ((joerg.wolf [AT] atlanticreview.org)) on Tue Jul 17th, 2007 at 05:09:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brown's Dinner With Merkel (none / 1)

The US influence over GB decision-making. But...who knows...it would sure be a breath of fresh air to see Brown change course. Time will tell...

Half the population is under the age of 18. Tanzania's future is NOW...join the 50% campaign!

by whataboutbob on Tue Jul 17th, 2007 at 06:11:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brown's Dinner With Merkel (4.00 / 2)

Much depends on Murdoch. For example, if Brown had to choose between an open war with the British press or just let the people say no to the constitutional treaty, it will never be ratified.
On the other hand, the Iraq war has never been popular in the UK and Brown is certainly less of a Bush- poodle than Blair (is that even a compliment?).

"If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles." Sun Tzu

by Turambar (sersguenda at hotmail com) on Wed Jul 18th, 2007 at 01:28:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Will Brown's Dinner With Merkel Leave Bush Hungry? (none / 1)

I doubt it. I think it would be a mistake for anybody to underestimate the extent of a British politician's delusion that their power exists only as a consequence of their closeness to the White house.

Brown may appear to be cosy with others, but when he hears his master's voice, all anybody else will see is his backside receeding.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue Jul 17th, 2007 at 08:57:32 AM EST

Bush Hungry? (none / 1)

This is ridiculous assumption - to think Brown will be let loose on his schedule of foreign visits. What, he decided to join Non Alignment Movement?
On the whole they all are the one bunch of imperialists and there is not much difference between Merkel or Bush whatsoever.

by FarEasterner on Tue Jul 17th, 2007 at 10:07:05 AM EST

As we go down (none / 1)

You guys have to step up.
And Bush, well he can starve.

by Lasthorseman (Lasthorseman@comcast.net) on Thu Jul 19th, 2007 at 06:11:47 PM EST

Will Brown's Dinner With Merkel Leave Bush Hungry? | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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