[mikenola]

A bit blunt for a "sophisticated" European, hmm? Wait, I thought *Bush* was supposed to be the arrogant cowboy?

This confirms the theory floating around here and elsewhere about the Franco-German axis' motivation for blocking our action in Iraq. Chirac et al hoped that their opposition would re-unite the failing EU experiment. I have a feeling Chirac might be wrong.

No way the Eastern Europeans are going to cast their lot with the West Europeans which stood by twiddling their thumbs while Eastern Europe was absorbed into the repression of the Soviet bloc.

[Dog]

Did you all see the strong statement that came out of the EU meeting today.. Brit Hume was amazed by it..

[OhhTee5]

LMAO!!!! France continues to see just how irrelevent and worthless they are, (hahahaha) couldn't happen to a better bunch of narcacists (sic).

I can just see Chirac now...."Why aren't they listening to me???" Sort of like Al Gore during his campaign telling everyone he was important.

Too much.

[AntiGuv]

No way the Eastern Europeans are going to cast their lot with the West Europeans...

France would be thrilled. Enlargement was mainly driven by the Germans; the French would have preferred a period of intensified integration before the EU expanded eastward. That being said, it's already a done deal - for most intents and purposes - barring a referendum setback in the upcoming months.

[kaylar]

This confirms the theory floating around here and elsewhere about the Franco-German axis' motivation for blocking our action in Iraq. Chirac et al hoped that their opposition would re-unite the failing EU experiment. I have a feeling Chirac might be wrong.

More than that : If they can force the US to concede that it needs to ask permission from the EU and the UN to defend itself, then you can bet a demand that we surrender our national sovereignty completely and ratify the ICC will follow. A demand that we ratify Kyoto, whose primary purpose is to give the EU a permanent economic advantage over the US will follow. And so on.