Posted by Dan Ewert : 8/29/2002 02:00:00 AM (Archive Link)
Just read this article on CNN.com which exemplifies some of the things I’ve just discussed. The Europeans are afraid of unilateralist U.S. action, the EU wants to just talk, and they’ll stand idly by. This is my favorite part: “Louis Michel, the ever-outspoken Belgian Foreign Minister, told the Belgian daily newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws that [British Prime Minister Tony] Blair was undermining the rest of the European Union. ‘Morally and politically we could take charge in the world. But the UK are blocking that. They still don't understand they could play a pioneer role in Europe instead of submissively following the U.S..’” He’s essentially accusing the British of not being European enough. It’s the same as old fashioned race baiting. The pioneer role they could play in Europe is actually being pioneers… that typically involves not being like everybody else and blazing your own path. What the good Mr. Michel is really frustrated with is that the UK isn’t submissively following popular EU opinion. Let’s hope they don’t.