Posted on 02/27/2005 1:10:46 AM PST by HundredPercenter
WASHINGTON -- Photo stickers of President Bush and the American flag placed in urinals in some Belgian ministry offices in Brussels right before the president's European tour have Rep. Vito Fossella mighty peeved.
But the lawmaker's ire, expressed to the Belgian prime minister at the Belgian Embassy here, may have been misdirected.
Although Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) accused the prime minister of responsibility for the stickers, Serge Wauthier, an embassy spokesman, noted that the Belgian government had condemned the stickers and their placement earlier this week, taking "a very clear position distancing itself from this initiative."
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In his letter, addressed to Prime Minister Johan Vande Lanotte, Fossella wrote that "such cheap political humor at the expense of the American flag was beneath a country with such a rich heritage as Belgium."
Wauthier responded that, although he found Fossella's letter very moving, it was up to Belgian Ambassador Frans Van Daele to respond to it, not the prime minister.
The congressman noted that the American flag graces the graves of thousands of American troops who died while liberating Belgium and other European countries from German occupation during World Wars I and II.
He also chided the Belgians for expressing any disagreement they have with U.S. policy on such a childish level.
The stickers, which bear the caption, "Go ahead. P--- on me," are said to be a common sight in the public toilets of Belgian schools, youth clubs and pubs.
Terence J. Kivlan is the Washington correspondent for the Advance. He may be reached at terence.kivlan@newhouse.com.
Is that the actual headline?
The headline did not effectively describe story. Nonetheless- this story is reprehensible.
Belgians get scolding from Vito
What a bizarre web newspaper! They ask for your zip code and gender (which I don't have a gender) and then there's a outside the U.S. link that takes you right to the story.
Easier then using bugmenot, but kind of pointless.
But the Belgian government did not condone it, according to the article.
Time to kick them out of NATO. This is more than enough proof that they never have any intention of living up to their end of the treaty (specifically, Article V).
Or course- caught red handed- they will deny. However, that doesn't erase what was done at the ministry.
I suppose this is no big surprise, considering the current Euro- U.S. state of affairs.
Don't buy their chocolate.
Freedom Waffles!
The real headline makes it sound like the next step is a horse's head in your bed.
If you are interested you can see a pic of the sticker at my website.
I guess my only point is that if the headline were true, it would be reason enough to break diplomatic relations, imo.
“The Manneken-Pis, situated in Rue de l’Etuve, is as funny as it is well known. Crowds of tourists patrol the meandering cobbled streets near Brussels’ Grand’ Place hoping to find this small statuette of a little boy in the midst of a never-ending pee.”
Nang Pang!
Well if it were sanctioned by the gov't...
This story got zero coverage anywhere. Thought I'd share it.
How do I post photos here?
Just another little pissant country that would be speaking German but for the United States.
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