New foreign policy of Sweden; Pro-US, Pro-market, Anti-socialism - Ex-PM Bildt new foreign minister

www.thelocal.se ^ | 10/06/2006 | The Local

[WesternCulture]

Carl Bildt Sweden's new Foreign Minister

Former prime minister Carl Bildt has been named as the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the new government presented by Fredrik Reinfeld on Friday.

Ten of the 21 new ministers are women, and nine ministers are Moderates.

57 year old Carl Bildt was prime minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994 and was the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for the Balkans between 1999 and 2001.

He has been on the board of Vostok Nafta since 2002 and is also on the board of Lundin Petroleum AB, a part of the Lundin Group of Companies.

The new Minister for Schools, Liberal Jan Björklund, told TT that it felt good when he woke up this morning.

"Naturally, it's a big challenge to raise the quality of Swedish schools," he said.

The issue he is prioritising is that more students must finish their compulsory education with better grades than today.

"There are many who are leaving school more or less unable to read or write, and that is not acceptable," said Björklund.

The new financial markets minister, Mats Odell, wants to make Stockholm a modern financial centre.

I want to improve further the competition and consumer protection in the financial market, and I want Stockholm to become a modern financial centre so that we can create many jobs within that sector," he said.

The full list of ministers is as follows:

Foreign Affairs: Carl Bildt (Moderate) Finance: Anders Borg (Moderate) Industry: Maud Olofsson (Centre Party leader) Social Affairs: Göran Hägglund (Christian Democrat leader) Education: Lars Leijonborg (Liberal Party leader) Schools: Jan Björklund (Liberal) Agriculture: Eskil Erlandsson (Centre) Culture: Cecilia Stegö Chilò Local Government and Financial Markets: Mats Odell (Christian Democrat) EU: Cecilia Malmström (Liberal) Trade: Maria Borelius (Moderate) International Development Cooperation: Gunilla Carlssson (Moderate) Public Health: Maria Larsson (Christian Democrat) Social Insurance: Cristina Husmark Pehrsson (Moderate) Environment: Andreas Carlgren (Centre) Defence: Mikael Odenberg (Moderate) Justice: Beatrice Ask (Moderate) Migration: Tobias Billström (Moderate) Integration and Equality: Nyamko Sabuni (Liberal) Employment: Sven Otto Littorin (Moderate) Infrastructure: Åsa Torstensson (Centre)

The Local

[WesternCulture]

Although Sweden undeniably is a small country populationwise, I think appointing Carl Bildt as Foreign Minister will strengthen Sweden, will strengthen Europe and will strengthen the role of conservatism in the World more than some people would realize today.

Sound conservatism - as opposed to proto-socialism and neo-liberalist (not to be confused with what americans call liberalism) is on the rise all over Europe.

As George W Bush has pointed out, Europe and the US are strongly dependent on each other. In order to preserve itself, The Western World must seek far reaching concord and unity. As Abraham Lincoln pointed out, A house divided against itself can not stand.

Carl Bildt, with his international recognition and excellent contacts could become a blessing to Scandinavia - and to the "new" european conservatism conquering country after country.

In Scandinavia of today, we have the healthiest business climate of Europe (and perhaps the world!), our economies are growing with figures like 6.7% (Finland) and 5.5 (Sweden) and we can consume more per capita than any other nation of the world, Spare Luxemburg! Why? We have turned our backs on socialism, invested heavily in education, science, research and promoted business development.

If the whole of the free world decides to do what we're doing at the moment, no kind of dark age totalitarianism will ever haunt mankind again.

Europe will not slumber forever!

[NonValueAdded]

Pro-US??? They don't hate us? Despite GWB and Condi Rice? Our presence in Iraq? How can that possibly be? /MegaUltraGigaGoogleplexSarc

[WesternCulture]

About Carl Bildt:

http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=5139&date=20061006

[Cruising Speed]

...turned our backs on socialism...

Go Sweden!

[bill1952]

I spent some time North of Stockholm.

and neo-liberalist (not to be confused with what americans call liberalism)

Please explain the differences.

[WesternCulture]

"Pro-US??? They don't hate us? Despite GWB and Condi Rice? Our presence in Iraq? How can that possibly be? /MegaUltraGigaGoogleplexSarc"

The most popular (flight) tourist destination among swedes is in fact an american city, NYC.
I'm well aware there's a lot of liberals residing in that particular part of the US, but still it ought to give you some idea of how appealing the US is in the eyes of the Swedish population.

However, it's also true that a lot of (self appointed) "aware" and "critical" media consumers in Sweden are brainwashed into believing things like the WOT being a war for oil and such things by Swedish media (the situation's the same all over Europe).

In Sweden 100% of the population believed Saddam Hussein had to be gotten rid off, still something like 50% thought this could be accomplished with peaceful means.

[R.W.Ratikal]

Good point. But socialism always fails because it is unable to produce wealth, only consume it. Its main failure is that it kills innovation and intuitive in the individual.

Even the Soviet Union failed despite the fact that it owned and controlled every means of production, every resource, every asset and set all wages, prices and the market.

Even with all of that power Russia could not do what every convenience store in America does every day: balance supply with demand and make a profit.

[zarf]

The 1,000,000 dollar question is:

Will the Swedes despise the Jews and Israel less under this government or does the Swedish love affair with Arafats minions and Hamas continue unabated?

[1rudeboy]

See definition #6: liberal.

[Charles Henrickson]

Ping to the Swedish Ping List.

[danamco]

In Scandinavia of today, we have the healthiest business climate of Europe (and perhaps the world!), our economies are growing with figures like 6.7% (Finland) and 5.5 (Sweden) and we can consume more per capita than any other nation of the world, Spare Luxemburg! Why? We have turned our backs on socialism, invested heavily in education, science, research and promoted business development.

If the whole of the free world decides to do what we're doing at the moment, no kind of dark age totalitarianism will ever haunt mankind again.

Europe will not slumber forever!

Denmark is probably economical the top country in Scandinavia, also with a Conservative coalition government for a few years now!

Mainly U.S-pro except for the socialists!!

I hope my "home" country (S) will engage a closer cooperation with my country of birth (DK)!!!

[WesternCulture]

"I spent some time North of Stockholm.
and neo-liberalist (not to be confused with what americans call liberalism)

Please explain the differences."

Hope you enjoyed Stockholm (by the way I live in Göteborg/Gothenburg, second largest city in Sweden - love Stockholm all the same!)

In Sweden and most of Europe, "Neoliberalism" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism )designates a political school of thought that teaches a free trade, small government, laissez faire ideology ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laissez_faire%2C_laissez_passer ).

This ideology is very different from what most americans call "liberalism". The most striking difference is that in America, "liberalism" is a political force seeking to strengthen the role of the government in relation to the individual whereas in Europe, the word "NEOliberal" has the opposite meaning.

I don't believe in weak governments.
What I wish for my country is a strong (but not necessarily a big) government in the sense that Sweden - which is a collectivist culture in many ways and will remain so - will develop into a society where schools, universities, authorities, companies and individuals do their uttermost in developing our country to a shining example of Scandinavian and European capability through innovation, national endeavor and business performance.

We're already more than halfway and the recent choice of the swedish electorate (for a Conservative lead alliance) gives a clear signal to the rest of Europe.

Socialism has lost the Battle of Europe!

[WesternCulture]

In the blogosphere, Mr Bildt is well known for his personal contibutions. Check it out!

http://www.bildt.net/

[rmlew]

Will the Swedes despise the Jews and Israel less under this government or does the Swedish love affair with Arafats minions and Hamas continue unabated
In theory, very much so.
The head of the Christian Democrats understand teh Muslim threat and the Moderates are not fanxs of the Eurabia project.

[NRA2BFree]

There are many who are leaving school more or less unable to read or write, and that is not acceptable," said Björklund.

Liberalism causes stupidity. That's what's wrong with America today. Too many liberal teachers who aren't teaching our kids to read and write.

[WesternCulture]

"Liberalism causes stupidity. That's what's wrong with America today. Too many liberal teachers who aren't teaching our kids to read and write."

I love the US, but I won't deny that there is a major educational problem in the New World.
Radical changes are needed.

For Sweden, there's still hope.
Mr Leijonborg is the new Minister of Education in Sweden.
He's one of the worst speakers I've ever paid attention to.
Nonetheless, he's also a person who has paid a lot of attention to educational issues of Sweden for several years and I think that he - despite of his shortcomings - indeed will improve conditions nationwide.

http://www.folkpartiet.se/Pages/90075/Engelska.pdf

[Eurotwit]

Get over yourself.

[ScaniaBoy]

Will the Swedes despise the Jews and Israel less under this government or does the Swedish love affair with Arafats minions and Hamas continue unabated?

The answer is unfortunately no to the first question and yes to the second. Mr Bildt is an anti-Israel, globalist, EU-federalist and appeaser of the Carter (whom he admires boundlessly) mold.

But don't take my word for it.

Go to his blog and read for yourself.

Bildt is also connected to a number of think-tanks and organizations sponsored by George Soros.

Probably the main thrust of the Swedish foreign policy will be towards EU enlargement; the Balkan region and the Caucasus. However, Mr Bildt will definitely try to support a larger influence for the EU in the Middle East.

And we really do want more French, sorry EU, influence in the countries surrounding Israel, don't we?

However, initially Mr Bildt may be occupied with Darfur and a possible Scandinavian (Swedish/Norwegian) UN contingent to Sudan.

That will be interesting since Mr Bildt has had some connections to that country via his interest in Lundin Oil. For those who can read Swedish here is a useful link:

http://www.nejtillemu.com/perahlmark.htm

From the article by Per Ahlmark (my translation):

"He [Bildt] has not seen any signs of "enforced removals" despite many reports that the regime is killing and deporting large number of people. Just like the owner of the oil company, Adolf H Lundin, Bildt talks about "tribal wars". That is their nonchalant view of an ongoing genocide as defined by the UN-convention."

"Between 1 and 2 million people have perished in southern Sudan. The violence against black Sudanese as a result of the oil exploration Bildt brush aside in this way: The same thing happens in Sweden "when you are building a road". To equate the terror in Sudan with the democratic and legal process in Sweden when deciding the location of a road is a shameless trivialization of the extermination that is controlled by the regime in Khartoum."

[ScaniaBoy]

The head of the Christian Democrats understand the Muslim threat

I would very much like to see evidence of that.

and the Moderates are not fans of the Eurabia project.

I am not sure they are even aware of the Eurabia project, however, they are extremely pro-EU and will tie themselves in knots to comply with everything emanating from that institution.

Sorry, to sound so despondent and harsh in my judgments, but most of our politicians, and especially on the non-socialist side are very parochial and really have no clue what goes on in the world outside Sweden. There are exceptions, most notably Mr Bildt, but you can see what I think of him in a post just above this one.

Yes, I had to vote for these people to get rid of the real socialists, but I don't have any illusions what so ever.

[ScaniaBoy]

Sorry, dropped the link to Mr Bildt's blog:

http://bildt.blogspot.com