Comments on: Dealing with the Parliament

By: Crooked Timber » » Dealing with the Parliament II

Crooked Timber » » Dealing with the Parliament II — Thu, 14 Apr 2005 18:48:41 +0000

[...] ng short article about the growing foreign policy clout of the European Union (something I wrote about back in June of last year). Robert Zoellick recognized this when he [...]

By: q

Wed, 23 Jun 2004 16:05:08 +0000

Presentation might be less black and white. I think Kerry would ~~use the term “EVIL” less -avoid saying “Either your with us or against us”. I noticed Colin Powell used the term “EVIL~~DOERS” again.

By: Daniel Geffen

Daniel Geffen — Tue, 22 Jun 2004 18:29:44 +0000

I’ve posted more thoughts on the implications of the EP jumping into the foreign policy fray here. Sorry for the hit-and-run comment, but I seem to have lost the part of my brain that handles how to use Trackback.

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 22 Jun 2004 14:17:04 +0000

I’m going to say something really heretical here: terrorism is not the thing of overriding importance that some people make it out to be, and pre-emptive military solutions are not necessarily more effective than negotiation or simply leaving people alone. The British response to e.g. the Brighton Hotel bombing (which nearly killed the entire Cabinet), or the Docklands bomb, was not a massive invasion of the state from which the terroists came (Ireland) nor the state which sheltered and funded them (the US). There was a crackdown, but not as serious as past ones and the powers of internment without trial were not used on a wide scale. Eventually by a process of negotiation and allowing the moderate wing of Irish Nationalism to share power in Northern Ireland, a ceasefire has been reached. And as for Iran, it’s worth reading up on the history of Anglo-American involvment there. The “death to America” lot are driven more by nationalism than by Islam, and aren’t interested in nukes other than as a deterrent against what they see as the Evil Empire.

By: derrida derider

derrida derider — Tue, 22 Jun 2004 13:39:28 +0000

Sebastian, its the US diplomatic model that’s motivating Iran to get nukes. I reckon if I was an Iranian national security adviser of whatever ideological hue, I’d take one look at the map, and one look at Bush’s pre-emption doctrine, and set out to get my hands on some nukes as soon as possible, whatever the diplomatic cost.

By: Andrew Boucher

Andrew Boucher — Tue, 22 Jun 2004 08:03:21 +0000

The assertiveness of the European Parliament is not likely to be up there among the major problems facing trans-Atlantic relations. The major problems are always structural, not procedural. The structural problems are when interests do not coincide.

By: Sebastian Holsclaw

Sebastian Holsclaw — Tue, 22 Jun 2004 07:14:25 +0000

“In many ways, the biggest single question facing the developed world is that of the relative merits of American and European social models.” Well that and which major Western city will get nuked first if we follow the European diplomatic model with respect to Iran. Sorry I couldn’t resist. ;)

By: John Quiggin

John Quiggin — Tue, 22 Jun 2004 05:01:25 +0000

Populism from the EU Parliament is long overdue. In many ways, the biggest single question facing the developed world is that of the relative merits of American and European social models. The EUP is a natural venue for defending the European model(s), and if it starts with some rabble-rousing, so much the better in my view.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Tue, 22 Jun 2004 02:34:56 +0000

Continuing terrorist assaults may not have the same effect as seen in Spain – it may make European voters more hawkish eventually and more willing to agree with the USA. Especially if this can be tied into a new face in the Whitehouse with a different style. You also seem to be ignoring the potential change in EU following its expansion and rising levels of euroscepticism in the existing member states. The EU getting involved in international affairs is as likely to increase this, as lower it. Also, the antagonistic “French EU” may be attenuated by the “New Europe” to create a new equilibrium between the US and Europe.