Contact Göran Persson - Swedish Prime Minister Only Western Leader to Attend Arafat's Cairo Funeral

http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/3051 ^

[AndyPH]

Swedish Prime Minister, Göran Persson, distinguished himself earlier today by being the only leader from a Western nation to attend the Cairo funeral service for Arafat.

A full list of funeral guests can be found here

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,251-1355719_1,00.html

You can contact Mr. Persson (ironically, known to many as "The Pig") at the URL above. Click on "e-post" under his name and write your Meddelande (message) and click "Skicka". Other fields are not required (namn = name, ärande = subject) . Please be patient as it seems a bit slow just now.

[Wonderama]

I am just happy that dope Jimmy Carter wasn't going to embarrass himself and our entire country by showing up. Is anyone from the US going? Even low level types? I hope not.

[xp38]

I hope he lost his limo ride http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1278292/posts

[ken5050]

I actually wanted Carter to go...It woudl have made wonderfu GOP political ads in 2006 and 2008.. Carter at the Dem convention, sitting with Moore, then Carter attending Arafat's funeral..

[SolutionsOnly]

the only western Leader? Not quite.

if you link to the article, lots of morally confused western leaders were there - Norway, Canada, Spain...

[Charles Henrickson]

"Göran-trouble-now-you-stupid-Persson" ping to the Swedish Ping List.

[Charles Henrickson]

Andy, I saw by clicking on your profile and seeing your posts that you live in Sweden. Whereabouts? If you don't mind, I'll add you to our Swedish Ping List. We let each other know when a Sweden-related thread appears here on FR.

[xp38]

The link you mention says those countries sent foreign ministers. The US sent assistant SOS Burns. Those aren't leaders.

[fdsa2]

Quite interesting. I assumed more western leaders would be there but no - could he have made a protocol mistake?

He is supposed to be much more Israel friendly than the previous social democrat pm:s? Or perhaps he is aiming for good will with the Palestinians for the upcoming peace talks?

[sheik yerbouty]

A Swedish meatball...

[ScaniaBoy]

Two "reasons" for Persson to attend Arafat's funeral.

First Persson is quite confused when it comes to terrorism and Mid East policies over all. The reason he is considered Israel friendly is that he suddenly, at quite a mature age, found out about the Holocaust.

However, it is quite likely that we will see Mr Persson be just as anti-Israel as his predecessors since he is now gunning for the voters in the Left party (the former Communists). The Left party and the Greens have formed part of his parliamentary basis, but since the beginning of this autumn Persson seems to have decided to dump the Left and seek a tighter collaboration with the Greens. However, to maintain his parliamentary majority in the next election he will have to win votes from the Left. If this entails sacrificing the Jewish state, that is not something that will weigh heavily on his consciousness.

[SolutionsOnly]

I stand corrected, thanks for pointing that out.

But even 'foreign minister' seems a bit too high a rank to send. Wouldn't 'Foreign Minister' equate to our Secretary of State? That's far too much recognition for a terroist thug.

Regardless, I expressed by outrage with the Swedish Embassy - for whatever it's worth.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Oh no, that's called diplomacy. He had to go to the funeral so he could make friends with the other terrorists. (at least that's what some people are saying around here.)

[AndyPH]

Yes thanks Charles, I never knew there was a Swedish ping-list. I live in Köping.

[AndyPH]

Well I think Canada & Norway sent foreign ministers - much more than warranted but still not Prime ministers.

BTW did you see the French & Canadian flags at the Ramallah burial?

[AndyPH]

Thanks xp - that's great to hear.

[AndyPH]

A good analysis of Persson's motives. Some debate if the Vänster party are ex-communists or just rebranded. Interesting to note that Perssons' social democrats themselves only got about 38% ( compared with Bush 's 60%) of the vote last election - yet he feels he can point to the US as a "divided" electorate !

[AndyPH]

A good analysis of Persson's motives. Some debate if the Vänster party are ex-communists or just rebranded. Interesting to note that Perssons' social democrats themselves only got about 38% ( compared with Bush 's 60%) of the vote last election - yet he feels he can point to the US as a "divided" electorate !

[ScaniaBoy]

My take on the attack on the Left party (Vänstern) from the media who suddenly noticed that the old communists were (hold on to your hats!).......COMMUNISTS is that this is a plot by a group of feminists who hope to see the Left party drop so much in the polls that they will be able to launch a new Feminazi party.

The Social Democrats under Mr Persson will have real problems cooperating with such a party (and so would anyone else).

This together with the possibility of the Eurosceptic Junilistan taking part in the next general election (in one form or another) and we may find that Sweden will become quite ungovernable after the election 2006.

[5by5]

My guess is that Carter wanted to go, badly. But then Secret Service had a little talk with him about security.