Posted on 02/27/2005 3:24:17 AM PST by Puzzleman
A week ago, the conventional wisdom was that George W. Bush had seen the error of his unilateral cowboy ways and was setting off to Europe to mend fences with America's ''allies.''
I think not. Lester Pearson, the late Canadian prime minister, used to say that diplomacy is the art of letting the other fellow have your way. All week long President Bush offered a hilariously parodic reductio of Pearson's bon mot, wandering from one European Union gabfest to another insisting how much he loves his good buddy Jacques and his good buddy Gerhard and how Europe and America share -- what's the standard formulation? -- ''common values.'' Care to pin down an actual specific value or two that we share? Well, you know, ''freedom,'' that sort of thing, abstract nouns mostly. Love to list a few more common values, but gotta run.
(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...
Steyn is always on the mark!
That's all? What is their birthrate and how many more are immigrating each year? The fundamental problem is that the British left is pandering to them to attempt to assimilate them by steadily chucking what's left of western culture, especially in the schools. That's a gamble that they can only lose in the long run.
Steyn is right about Europe being ready to explode and the EU imploding. From the beginning, it did not seem like it was likely to work. There was too much infighting about the little things.
The question is, though, are they willing to make the changes - real changes - to prevent WWIII. I doubt it right now, but in 10 years that may change. I'm not holding my breath, though.
Imminentize the Eschaton.
EU constitution.
longjack
Friday at the Mosque in St John's Wood vs Sunday mass on Abby road. One or two blocks but worlds apart.
It might be only 1.5 million but the difference between these two worlds is scary to me.
Be prepared Friend.
Friday at the Mosque in St John's Wood vs Sunday mass on Abby road. One or two blocks but worlds apart.
It might be only 1.5 million but the difference between these two worlds is scary to me.
Be prepared Friend.
Americans can only watch in horror as Europeans, as though living a Greek tragedy, move inexorably toward the very fate they most seek to avoid, blinded by hubris and denial, refusing to see the obvious, refusing to heed shouts of warning, refusing to save themselves.
Like a Greek chorus, our warnings fall on deaf ears.
What irony if, having begun with the myth of Oedipus and Jocasta, the prophetic warning of hubris, denial, fatalism, and tragedy, European civilization should end in such tragedy--and, if present trends continue, it certainly and inevitably will.
The Europeans must just love Mark
"Lester Pearson, the late Canadian prime minister, used to say that diplomacy is the art of letting the other fellow have your way."
I prefer the definition which says that diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice doggie!" while you're looking for a rock. Hopefully that is what President Bush is doing, since I don't seriously thing Old Europe is going to suddenly change its tune about us.
"Steyn may be right about France and Germany, but we don't share their problems, and indeed, we have a higher birthrate. What is more, both Labour and the Tories are running on platforms of clamping down on immigration."
MadIvan:
If the Brits ratify the EU Constitution, they will have -- in the words of a WWI-era German politician speaking of their alliance to Austria-Hungary -- "chained themselves to a corpse." The axis of nations formed by France, Germany, and Belgium are a maggoty, rotten corpse that has not yet begun to stink. Britain's treasure will be drained to prop up the failing states of Europe, until nothing is left but an empty, dried, husk.
No doubt this will be noticed at some point during the process, but by then control of its military will have slipped from British hands, and -- having eliminated private firearms -- you will have no means with which to resist the looting. It will be like something out of "Atlas Shrugged."
The EU is not for Europeans, by Europeans -- it is for the French elite by the French elite.
Good luck -- and when you need a sponsor to emigrate to the free world, get in touch.
I was watching "Last Secrets of the Axis" last night on the History channel. When I was young, material about the road to war was boring to me but now I'm fascinated.
It said that paganism in Germany had success because the huge death tolls of WWI had shaken people's faith in Christianity. Perhaps. Far too much of the world has failed to realize that today we need Jesus MORE not less.
In 10 years it may well be too late.
We have the same problem if we continue to chain ourselves to Mexico and the rest of Central America.
Oil-For-Food has the stench of death.
Why is it that 20 years ago I liked french people but today it seems like every one I meet is a perfect a-hole?
Yes, nothing is more infuriating than an unwelcome truth.
Bump for later
lol lol
Mr. Steyn is not merely addressing the "invasion" issue; but something far more basic: inter "EU" whining. Who gets porkbarrel, who doesn't. That's why the EU hasn't happened YET. The Brawl for "equal status/equal perks" between the countries involved in the EU, directly or in "food chain" order.
Things were "okay" for a bit while the Oil4Food scam was concealed from the eye -- as well as those particular countries benefitting. But now? I can imagine the squabbling. Especially from those countries who didn't get the "perks" from the Oil4Food scam.
Wouldn't it be interesting to track which countries have the "greatest" number of Muslims since the mid-90s and those European countries who received or partook in the Oil4Food scam? I'll wager there may be a correlation.
Mr. Steyn is quite right in his total assessment of the matter.
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