Posted on 09/08/2004 12:55:35 PM PDT by Irish_Thatcherite
FORMER Taoiseach John Bruton will today be confirmed as the EU's first Ambassador to Washington. The appointment will result in a by-election in Meath.
Following months of speculation, Mr Bruton will get the go-ahead at today's meeting of the 25-strong Commission, barring any unforeseen delays. It is the first time a politician has been parachuted into such a senior EU posting abroad.
The decision to headhunt the former Fine Gael leader was led by the External Relations Commissioner, Chris Patten. He strongly supported calls by Ireland and other countries that to rebuild relations with the US a high profile political figure should take command of the European Commission's representation.
Following a deterioration of relations between Europe and the US over the Iraqi war and other trade and environmental disputes, the EU hopes that Mr Bruton can improve political communications.
Commissioner Patten believes that as a former Taoiseach, Mr Bruton's status will help open doors both on Capitol Hill and in the White House.
The Commission hopes that Mr Bruton can talk on an equal footing with senators, congressmen and even the US President.
The Commission would now like Mr Bruton to take up the job by early November.
As Ambassador, Mr Bruton will be on the same salary as a director general in the European Commission - around €14,500 per month, plus allowances and tax concessions.
This should put the former Taoiseach at or above the salary of the current incumbent, Bertie Ahern.
Mr Bruton will also be provided with a residence in Washington, plus a chauffeur-driven car. Around 70 EU diplomats will report directly to him.
The Commission isn't expected to make an announcement today, because under protocol rules it must still await confirmation from the United States that it accepts Mr Bruton as Europe's representative.
Since quitting as FG leader, Mr Bruton has worked within EU politics and is currently deputy president of the European People's Party, to which Fine Gael is linked.
He came to prominence for the Washington job after he prepared a paper for a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers during the Greek Presidency on how best to rejuvenate trans-Atlantic relations.
This led to Mr Patten's support for drafting him into the job as Ambassador. During the Irish Presidency Foreign Minister Brian Cowen strongly backed improving relations with Washington and it is believed the Government strongly supports Mr Bruton's appointment.
ping!
The Commission is apparently abusing crack.
Indeed, every country in the EU has it's own ambassador, why do an EU ambassador.
However, the Sunday Independent's Eoghan Harris, the Open Republic Institute's Paul McDonnel (both are conservatives), have and interesting theory that Ireland has a unique position in the world - it could act as a go between the Anglosphere (America, Austrailia, Britian, Canada, New Zealand), and the Eurosphere - which basically are the two wings of Western Civilisation, possibly that's why the EuroRATs (get it: DemonRATS), picked a former Taoiseach for the job.
But if Harris' and McDonnell's theory(s) are correct - we don't need to do it by having an 'EU ambassador', but rather, our own government involved in mediating in any future Transatlantic dispute - I don't know though if that theory is a good idea, after all Europe is Europe; it will ALWAYS go against America, because it [the EU] is basically a rival to the US.
John Bruton is hardly what you call a liberal, but he is of that strange ideology called Roman Catholicism (as opposed to the religion Roman Catholicism), which is more Pat Buchannan than Ann Coulter (kinda) - he once wrote in the Irish Catholic in which to push the EU agenda, he said that nationalism is anti-Christian.
In any case, it will be interesting to see how he gets on with Dubya!!
It's amazing that the EuroRATS want to have relations with the US, especially with Gerhart Surrender and Jaques ChIRAQ in the cockpit.
And another thing - though I must stress John Bruton is slightly right-of-center (see post#5) - he was anti-war like the rest of Europe, if they wanted someone to be diplomatic, send someone who was pro war, if Iwas Bruton, I'd decline the offer, if not for the sake of Irish patriotism, then for the fact that he'll have his heart broke - America wants to fight the War on Terror, because it is a war that needs fighting, but Europe refuses to fight it, because it thinks it has a choice - Eurofools
So, Europe now has esatablished yet another organ of government - this tyranny is emerging at an alarming rate
HELP!!
On the other hand, some nations that join it are going to get screwed by the French and Germans and may decide to bolt.
I don't know which outcome will prevail.
Isn't it bad either way?
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