European Salon de News, Discussion et Klatsch - 5 April | 64 comments (64 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: European Salon... - 5 April - EP Elections (4.00 / 2)

Bundestagswahlkampf: CSU setzt auf massive Steuersenkungen - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Politik		Federal elections campaign: CSU bets on massive tax cuts - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - Politics
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Nach "intensiver Debatte" stimmte der CSU-Vorstand dem Europawahlprogramm mit der Forderung nach Volksabstimmungen über EU-Beitritte und -Kompetenzen zu. Ob die Volksabstimmungen nur in Bayern, in Deutschland oder europaweit erfolgen sollen, ließ die CSU allerdings offen. Seehofer sagte, die Haltung der Türkei beim Nato-Gipfel "bestärkt uns in der Auffassung, dass eine Vollmitgliedschaft in Europa nicht in Frage kommen sollte".		After "intensive debate", the CSU leadership agreed on an EP election programme including the demand for a referendum on EU accessions and competencies. However, the CSU left open whether the referendums will take place only in Bavaria, in Germany, or be Europe-wide. Seehofer said the attitude of Turkey at the NATO summit "confirmed us in our stance that a membership [of Turkey] in Europe[sic!] should be out of question".
CSU-Generalsekretär Alexander Dobrindt forderte, die Beitrittsverhandlungen mit der Türkei sofort abzubrechen. "Wer islamische Propaganda über die Zukunft der Nato und über unsere europäische Werteordnung stellt, hat in der EU nichts zu suchen", sagte er. Spitzenkandidat Markus Ferber kündigte einen "Wahlkampf bis in den hintersten Winkel Bayerns" an. Bei einem schlechten Ergebnis muss die CSU wegen der bundesweiten Fünfprozenthürde um den Wiedereinzug ins Europaparlament bangen. Als Wahlziel gab Seehofer erneut neun Abgeordnete aus.		CSU General Secretary Alexander Dobrindt demanded an immediate abortion of accession negotiations with Turkey. "Someone who places Islamic propaganda above the future of NATO and our above out European value system has no place in the EU," he said. Leading candidate Markus Ferber announced a "campaign to the remotest corners of Bavaria". Incase of a bad result, the CSU bwould have to fear for its re-entry into the European Parliamewnt due to the federal-level five percent limit. Seehofer again named nine representatives as election goal.

("Islamic propaganda?... These people are hideous.)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sat Apr 4th, 2009 at 02:58:13 PM EST
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Re: European Salon... - 5 April - EP Elections (4.00 / 2)

"Islamic propaganda" is the keyword. I think this has a lot to do with what they're bitching about:

Danish PM Named New NATO Chief - IslamOnline.net - News

STRASBOURG -- Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen was named the new NATO chief on Saturday, April 4, after Turkey dropped its veto to his appointment.
"I am deeply honored to be appointed as the next secretary-general of NATO," Rasmussen told a press conference, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"I will do my utmost to live up to the confidence shown to me by my colleagues."
Rasmussen, who has been favored by alliance's big countries to the job, will replace Dutchman Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on Aug. 1.
"Everyone is fully convinced that Anders Fogh Rasmussen is the best choice for the alliance," Scheffer said.
Scheffer admitted that there had been long discussions on electing the Danish premier as the new NATO chief.
"An agreement was found," he added.
Turkey has long opposed Rasmussen's nomination to the NATO's top post over his mishandling of the Prophet cartoon crisis.
In 2005, Denmark's Jyllands-Posten daily printed cartoons satirizing Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him), sparking furor in the Muslim world.
Rasmussen refused to meet the ambassadors of several Muslim countries to discuss the crisis, defending the blasphemous drawings as freedom of expression.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Apr 5th, 2009 at 04:52:48 AM EST
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Re: European Salon... - 5 April - EP Elections (4.00 / 2)

I think Erdogan has made a serious error with this. I would agree with the idea that it is mere propaganda, it's domestic electionieering of the worst kind. After all, no serious islamic commentator had issues with the cartoons, especially as the ones supposedly causing the upset were fakes put out by populists and their followers.

I can understand why the amabassadors got roped in and Rasmussen should have been more polite, but he said the correct thing. It's freedom of speech. But hwilstislamic public sentiment can be whipped up like this, politicians should be calming the situation, not playing to the mob. This is Erdogan's mistake.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Apr 5th, 2009 at 06:53:25 AM EST
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Re: European Salon... - 5 April - EP Elections (none / 0)

Agreed. It's a waste of precious political capital.

Erdogan should pick his fights.

"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson

by ChrisCook (cojockathotmaildotcom) on Sun Apr 5th, 2009 at 06:55:41 AM EST
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Re: European Salon... - 5 April - EP Elections (none / 1)

Perhaps Erdogan doesn't see much advantage in being in NATO any more.

by Metatone (metatone [a|t] gmail (dot) com) on Sun Apr 5th, 2009 at 07:02:09 AM EST
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Re: European Salon... - 5 April - EP Elections (none / 0)

Does anyone ?

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Sun Apr 5th, 2009 at 08:19:35 AM EST
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Re: European Salon... - 5 April - EP Elections (none / 0)