Posted on 10/26/2006 4:23:03 PM PDT by blam
Edited on 10/26/2006 4:25:44 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Blair-Bush ties hamper Europe, says Schröder
Jess Smee in Berlin
Thursday October 26, 2006
Guardian Unlimited (UK)
Former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder has written a damning critique of Tony Blair's special relationship with the United States, saying it hampered Britain's links with Europe. In his memoirs, Decisions: My Life in Politics, which were launched yesterday, Mr Schröder examines Mr Blair's relationship with George Bush and attempts to divine the motivation behind it.
"The British special relationship to America weighs on the European-focused future of the country," he writes. "More than others, Britain is prepared to anticipate American wishes and turn them into European political issues.
"I don't rule out that [Mr Blair's] stance could have been motivated by internal politics, driven by the aim of winning British-US relations back from the Conservatives, who made it their terrain during the Thatcher-Reagan era."
When he became German leader, Mr Schröder and Mr Blair bonded over similarities in their centre-left politics. In 1999 they even wrote a paper together, Europe: The Third Way - Die neue Mitte, which heralded a new era of social democracy.
But their unity did not last, Mr Schröder said. He described how initial high hopes for a triangular relationship between Germany, France and Britain soon proved illusory and Mr Blair's position on Europe turned out to be a "big disappointment". "In the foreseeable future, Britain will not give Europe any momentum," he said. "Quite the opposite, the country will continue to protect its role as a transatlantic mediator, even if that is to the cost of the European decision-making process."
Chirac Schroder relationship hampered world.
Uh, I believe he is thrown out of power and replaced by a more pro American government now. Which will benefit Germany.
Yeah, now the terrorists only fire-bomb cars in France...
Schroeder dreams of being remembered as the next Willy Brandt. Thus far, he's closer to being the next Jimmy Carter.
Just had to post this...
hilarious!
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/multimedia/bushblair_endlesslove.mov
Schroeder should go back to giving Clinton Lewinskys.
Schroder is like Clinton. They're both leftists who are sad that they're not in power anymore.
That and its demographic death spiral.
Schroeder is a complete ASS!
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