Posted on 07/13/2004 10:08:21 PM PDT by El Conservador
minister who has been nominated as president of the European Commission, on Tuesday criticised the US for its occasional "arrogance" and sought to distance himself from some of his recent domestic policies by underlining his social and environmental credentials.
Questioned on Portugal's involvement in the US-led war coalition in Iraq, on the first day of hearings before the European parliament, Mr Barroso said that, while he was a long-standing admirer of the US, he also hated what he described as American "arrogance" and "unilateralism". He added: "I think there are magnificent things that exist in the US as well as some fairly horrific things."
While he would not be drawn, for example, into taking sides on the contentious issue of providing European passenger name records to Washington, he said he would fight for reciprocity in this kind of agreement and ensure the EU was not considered "second-class" in international negotiations.
Mr Barroso said he would run the Commission as a politician rather than a technocrat, but also as a "reformist of the centre" able to bridge the gap between Europe's different political families and between Brussels and often apathetic or sceptical voters across the continent.
In particular, Mr Barroso offered an olive branch to Socialist members of the parliament by insisting that "in my scale of values, social policy comes way above economics". He added: "It will not be acceptable, as we push for more competitiveness, to change the social spirit of Europe."
He also sought to appease concerns among MEPs that, having emerged last month as a last-minute consensus candidate for the Commission presidency, he might be more willing to accommodate the views of powerful member states than the concerns of MEPs. He said: "We need a strong, credible and independent Commission. The only way to say sometimes No to member states is to have the strong backing of the European parliament."
Mr Barroso yesterday also rejected calls for sharp cuts in the proposed European Union budget, as advocated by the six biggest net contributors. Following the EU's enlargement to 25 member states, he said cuts would send the wrong signal to the 10 newcomers.
No wonder why Brits, Italians and Poles are conspicuously absent of such positions.
crackpot get it?
As I recall, Barroso hosted a summit on the Azores to strategize the then-upcoming War in Iraq.
Now, for his own extra-national political aspirations, he bashes the very coalition of the willing of which he was a member.
I have lost respect for Portugal's Prime Minister, for I thought he was an ally in the fight on terror, but instead I realize he is a spineless politician like the rest of old school European leaders.
Send Cheney over there to tell em off in person.
I'm fed up with the EU-peons complaining. Period.
I can't wait for the EU to fold up like a cheap tent in 2012 and show the world that no matter what you call communism it is a failed ideology/form of government.
Lord help us all if we ever start becoming like Europe. $5 a gallon for gas, double-digit unemployment, legalized prostitution (amongst other things) and an emphasis on non-sovereignty--I don't think I could take it.
At least this clown was original. I've never heard an Euro-crat call the US "arrogant & unilateralist." Why don't they just tattoo it on their friggin' foreheads so they won't have to repeat it at their 17 daily commitee meetings.
The last time Portugal was relevant to me or you,
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
TRANSLATION: USA knows right from wrong, and USA is able to act independantly.
Message to the EU, "Hell yeah we're arrogant, you got a problem with that?"
I'll just conveniently forget to tell that one to my Portuguese friend :)
We have the weapons to give the Eurofoofs a new understanding of the concept of pain: tourism and trade. All it will take is the will to use them...
I'll take "arrogant" over "spineless, capitulating, do-nothing, corrupt Euro-weenie" any day.
Is American arrogance a European way of saying we have a spine?
Yeah i love the fact that these snotty little pissants would all be speaking German were it not for the US...ungrateful hardly comes close to describing them. Screw em all...lete's go ti alone or with whoever wants to come along but to hell with the slackers who are to cowardly to stand tall
You are quite right, especially since Portugal had to adhere to the "Growth and Stability Pact" and slash their budget in a way that certainly has been causing a lot of grief.
France and Germany have run much larger deficits but they have not and will not be forced to put emergency breaks on their budgets (not withstanding yesterdays ruling by the European Court).
Of course the Portuguese PM will have to show himself anti-US otherwise he will not be confirmed by the EU parliament.
Expect more of the same!
ScaniaBoy
PS: Welcome to FR!
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