'It's Not Often You See That ... When the Husband is More Attractive Than the Wife'

The always charming Bill Clinton:

Tony Blair would be well advised to stay out of the country this week when a new BBC film is broadcast – his wife ­Cherie is likely to be outraged by ­disparaging remarks about her appearance and scenes showing her husband ­lusting after other women.

Producers of The Special Relationship, the latest drama to feature actor Michael Sheen as Blair, say that it was only the fear of legal action from Cherie which stopped them from portraying her in an even more unflattering light.

In one scene in the production, which focuses on the relationship between Blair and Bill Clinton, the former American President says of the Blairs: 'It's not often you see that . . . when the husband is more attractive than the wife.'

Judging by her appearance here I'd say she's Clinton kind of gal.

Now It Can Be Told: 'George W. Bush Was Very Smart'

Gee, he wasn't really dopey chimp whose puppet strings were pulled by the evil Darth Cheney? You mean a guy who flew fighter jets and ran businesses isn't really the dolt portrayed by the media elites?

Whodathunkit?

FORMER British Prime Minister Tony Blair said US President George W. Bush was "very smart," but his predecessor Bill Clinton was the smartest politician he ever met.

Speaking on This Week with Christiane Amanpour, Mr Blair was asked to talk about his relationships with Mr Clinton and Mr Bush.

Ms Amanpour read a section of Blair’s new memoir entitled A Journey in which the former prime minister wrote: "George W. Bush was very smart. He had an immense simplicity in how he saw the world. Right or wrong, it led to decisive leadership."

In response, Mr Blair said: “Yes, it did. And I think, you know, it's easy to mock that simplicity. And it's easy to ignore the strength that sometimes comes with that.”

But when it came to Mr Clinton, he was even more effusive in his praise.

Asked if Mr Clinton was one of the smartest political minds he had ever come across, Mr Blair replied: “Oh, he's phenomenally smart. I mean, I think the smartest politician I ever came across, yes, I would say, Bill Clinton, yes.”

No doubt the reaction of the left will entail ridiculing Blair's intelligence for his assessment of Bush.

JUSTICE SET ASIDE

What does it profit a government that it loses its soul but gains cheap oil?

Tony Blair was last night accused of agreeing a 'blood money' deal involving the Lockerbie bomber with Colonel Gaddafi just hours before BP unveiled a£500 million oil contract. The then Prime Minister laid the foundations for the release of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi during a meeting with the Libyan leader in a desert tent two years ago. The pair thrashed out a controversial prisoner transfer deal just before BP chairman Peter Sutherland announced the firm was investing $900million - about £545million - to search for oil in Libya. If the firm strikes rich, it could be worth £13billion.

Mark my word - tomorrow will see the Scottish government release the Lockerbie bomber and the reason is..... OIL! Appeasing terrorists is one of the few things at which UK governments excel.

Got 'Global Warming'?

No small wonder that Gordon Brown is adamant about denying the Brits his previously promised referendum on the new EU Constitution Treaty of Lisbon.

Brussels demands thousands more wind turbines across the UK

Britain will be forced to build thousands more wind turbines in the countryside under a Brussels edict to be announced tomorrow.

Energy experts say new EU climate change targets mean the UK will have to generate 40 per cent of its electricity from green sources within 12 years.

In order to meet that target, the number of wind turbines on the land would have to rise fourfold. Thousands more would be needed at sea.

The move would be one of the greatest engineering projects in years - and dramatically change the skyline of Britain and its coastal waters.

But critics say onshore turbines are an expensive blot on the landscape that often fail to generate enough power to justify their existence.

The Government concedes that the shift away from coal and gas will cost up to £6billion [US$23.23 billion] a year. Most of that burden will be passed to consumers.

As the costs of most government mandates are.

The move is part of the EU's commitment to generating 20 per cent of Europe's energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Under the plans - approved by Tony Blair - every member state will be told its contribution to the "green energy revolution" tomorrow. Britain currently has one of the worst records for renewable energy in Europe.

Years of cheap gas mean that nine out of ten homes use gas central heating, while hydroelectric and wind power produces just 2 per cent of electricity.

Tomorrow, the petulant bitch known as the European Union Brussels is expected to demand that 15 per cent of Britain's energy, including heating, transport fuel and electricity, comes from renewable sources by 2020. Because it would cost too much to convert homes and vehicles to green energy, the bulk of the target will have to be met by electricity companies.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs estimates that 40 per cent of electricity will have to be renewable within 12 years.

If it fails to meet the targets - described by civil servants as "difficult" - Europe will impose daily fines on the UK.

[...]

Read it all at The Daily Mail

I agree with Professor Richard Lindzen from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who said: “future generations will wonder in bemused amazement that the early 21st century’s developed world went into hysterical panic over a globally averaged temperature increase of a few tenths of a degree, and, on the basis of gross exaggerations of highly uncertain computer projections combined into implausible chains of inference, proceeded to contemplate a roll-back of the industrial age”. --- Vaclav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic

Previously: Global Warming Scam to Cost EU $100 Billion

Also at A Tangled Web

More Free Money for Palis

They just never learn.

Middle East envoy Tony Blair plans to announce on Monday projects designed to bolster the Palestinian economy, including one in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, Western and Palestinian officials said.

The announcement by the former British prime minister comes a week ahead of a U.S.-sponsored peace conference meant to launch long-stalled talks on Palestinian statehood and bolster President Mahmoud Abbas after Hamas Islamists seized control of the Gaza Strip in June.

Western and Palestinian officials, speaking on condition of anonymity on Sunday, said the projects were meant to quickly create jobs and boost economic activity.

Western officials said the decision to include a sewage project in Gaza was part of a new outreach effort to the coastal strip's 1.5 million residents.

Abbas, whose secular Fatah faction still dominates the occupied West Bank, wants to regain control of Gaza but it is unclear how he will be able to do so.

Israel has tightened its economic and military cordon around Gaza since June and has escalated threats to invade the territory in response to Palestinian rocket fire.

"From our point of view, this is a humanitarian question," Shlomo Dror, spokesman for the Israeli coordinator for the Palestinian territories, said of the Gaza sewage project.

Dror said Israel's only concern was that certain types of metal piping could be used by militants to fashion rockets. Dror said alternative types of piping could be used.

I'm sure this will just endear everyone to the peaceful Palestinians.

As The Truth Emerges

Get out and sharpen the pitchforks.

You're stuck with Blair's EU deal, says Portugal
Gordon Brown will find his hands tied as it becomes clearer and clearer that Tony Blair's European Union treaty deal resurrects the constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters two years ago.

The incoming Portuguese EU presidency, which takes over the six-month rotating job from Germany this weekend, has made it clear that the new British Prime Minister is bound by the mandate agreed by Mr Blair last week.

Portugal wants a quick treaty finish and will hold Mr Brown to the 15-page text, backed up by as yet unpublished legal documents signed by Mr Blair and regarded as binding for his successor.

"We do have a clear, precise and detailed mandate handed down to us. We believe that the conditions and guidelines are set out to us in that mandate," said Portugal's Europe Minister, Manuel Lobo Antunes, yesterday. "We will be sticking strictly to the terms we have been given."

Mr Brown is stuck with a deal that he must defend against opposition calls - and a Telegraph campaign, now signed by more than 1,300 people - for a referendum.

The Prime Minister has not been helped by EU leaders, such as Germany's Angela Merkel, lining up to boast that the new "amending treaty" is the old constitution in a new form. "The substance of the constitution is preserved," Mrs Merkel told MEPs on Wednesday. "That is a fact."

Labour MEPs have pleaded, on behalf of Downing Street, with EU institutions to downplay elements of the constitution to help the Government domestically "undersell" the deal to avoid a referendum.

But the pleas have fallen on deaf ears and the drip, drip of opinions, especially those rubbishing the legal force of Britain's opt-outs, will continue throughout the summer.

Formal treaty negotiations begin on July 23 and will mainly be conducted in secret, an arrangement primarily put in place to help Mr Brown. Foreign ministers will discuss a 150-page "draft treaty text" in the Viana do Castelo, Portugal, on Sept 7.

Cowardly bastards.

Paying attention, Jerusalem? This is the asshat being sent to secure peace in our time, just as another British asshat claimed after delivering then-Czechoslovakia to the Austrian corporal.

There's more. Much more.

Look Out Israel, After Selling Out The Brits ....

This comes as no great surprise.

Scepticism hangs over Blair's appointment as quartet envoy
· Former PM to help build Palestinian institutions
· No formal role in finding permanent solution

Tony Blair is to make his first working visit to Ramallah in the West Bank next month as envoy of the quartet of Middle East peacemakers, it emerged yesterday, after his job was confirmed amid scepticism about any chance of his success.

The French Poodle effect?

His role of quartet representative was announced jointly in New York by the US, EU, UN and Russia. Mr Blair will work on building government institutions and the rule of law, mobilising international help, and promoting the economy.

"He will spend significant time in the region working with the parties and others to help create viable and lasting government institutions representing all Palestinians, a robust economy, and a climate of law and order for the Palestinian people," the quartet said in a statement.

They stopped short of giving Mr Blair an explicit role as mediator between the Israelis and Palestinians in the peace process, but did give a broad remit to "liaise with other countries as appropriate in support of the agreed quartet objectives". Sources close to Mr Blair said he expected his role to be bigger than that assigned to his predecessor, James Wolfensohn, a former World Bank president who resigned in frustration in April 2006 after focusing just on the economy, on preparation for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Mr Blair sees his role as preparing ground for eventual talks on a final, comprehensive settlement by Palestinians and Israelis, with his immediate task to help to halt the violence between Fatah and Hamas and heal the divide.

Can we spell d-e-l-u-s-i-o-n-a-l?

His appointment left some egos battered and generated controversy. Russia demanded last minute changes to the terms of reference, clarifying his precise status. Mr Blair also spoke to Vladimir Putin, Russia's president.

Gordon Brown was described as angry at being presented with a fait accompli, making it difficult for him to formulate his own Middle East policy.

"This keeps Blair interminably in the limelight," said a top diplomat, noting the former PM will report to the UN general assembly in September, just as Mr Brown makes his maiden appearance.

Javier Solana, EU foreign policy chief, with a long track-record in the region, is also unhappy, Brussels sources say. The Foreign Office, where top officials knew nothing until last Thursday, is said to be in an "institutional sulk".

There's more. Much more.

Did Blair Get A Hummer?

Tony Blair seems to be having some credibility problems.

Blair hands Brown an EU timebomb as treaty starts to unravel
Gordon Brown has been handed a constitutional 'booby trap' which will rob him of the power to block European interference in dozens of areas of national life, it was claimed.

In a Press conference, Tony Blair declared he had successfully defended Britain's interests in the marathon negotiations over a new 'constitution' for the EU.

But within hours Mr Blair's bold assertions were unravelling, as doubts were cast on crucial treaty clauses designed to safeguard our independent foreign policy and our right to opt out of the controversial Charter of Fundamental Rights.

------ ker-snip ------
Speaking in Brussels at his last ever Press conference as Prime Minister, an exhausted Mr Blair insisted Britain's so-called 'red lines' had not been crossed.

He said: "The four essential things we in the UK required to protect our position have all been obtained."

But a new analysis reveals that this claimed victory may be short-lived.

The UK had insisted on an amendment making clear that the EU's vaulting ambitions to develop its own foreign and security policy could not challenge the interests of national governments.

A 'declaration' was inserted into the footnotes of the treaty saying the 'responsibilities of member states' would not be affected.

However, this first and most important red line now looks less than secure after experts pointed out that in EU language a 'declaration' has limited or no legal power - it is merely a 'political aspiration'.

The treaty creates a new European foreign minister - or High Representative - who will have his own team of envoys and embassies. He will also chair meetings of EU foreign ministers.

Neil O"Brien, director of the Open Europe think-tank, said: "It is hard to see how in practice this will not undermine the freedom of manoeuvre for our own Foreign Secretary." Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "Tony Blair says he has safeguarded British foreign policy from EU interference, even though he has agreed to an EU diplomatic service which will mean EU embassies and an EU foreign minister by any other name.

"When you examine the small print, it is clear his so-called safeguards have no legal guarantees at all.

"This is typical of the Government's approach to negotiation on this vital treaty, which undoubtedly shifts power from Britain to the EU."

A second Blair red line was over the Charter of Fundamental Rights. During the Brussels negotiations, a special opt-out was secured that exempts British courts from this new European bill of rights.

However, European judges warn the opt-out could be subject to a legal challenge. Jacques Ziller, a professor of European Law, has described the British exemption as 'nonsense'.

Britain's third red line covered our right to veto EU decisions on tax and benefits. Mr Blair said there would be no hand-over of power in these areas.

But, under the treaty, Britain has ceded control in 52 separate areas of policy. Critics fear Brussels supporters of a super-state could use these new powers to introduce a common European social security policy by the back door.

According to Mr O"Brien, the first challenge could come over the rights of new migrants from within the EU to claim benefits.

The final red line was Britain's right to veto European plans on criminal justice. But the small print of the treaty revealed that Mr Blair had quietly agreed to relinquish our blocking vote on grandiose plans to create a European police force and public prosecutor.

However, Europe Minister Geoff Hoon, responding to criticism that the Government had failed to defend its own positions, said: "We have spent weeks ensuring that these provisions are watertight."

That's what was said about the Titanic.

See the comments.


Poll: Did Blair Sell Out Britain?

You Can Fool Some . . . .

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown insist that a referendum is unnecessary. Others are call the new EU constitution treaty a sham and are demanding that a referendum be held.

Gordon Brown was under growing pressure last night to hold a referendum on the new EU treaty.

Calls for a vote intensified after Ireland promised to give its people a say.

Irish Premier Bertie Ahern admitted the new treaty reproduced 90 per cent of the EU constitution rejected in 2005. Major constitutional changes are traditionally put to the vote in the Republic.

Tories seized on his remarks to step up demands for a vote on the deal struck by Tony Blair as one of his last acts as Prime Minister.

Their warnings that huge areas of sovereignty were being surrendered set the scene for the first big battle with a Brown Government.

Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said Ireland's announcement heightened the injustice to British voters.

He said: "It is now getting clearer and clearer that this is basically the constitution by another name.

Good thing you got that figured out so soon, genius.

"Large amounts of power have been transferred to Brussels and the Government has failed to safeguard Britain's interests.

"People in Britain will want to know, when Irish voters will decide for themselves, why Gordon Brown thinks British people do not have the right to have their say."

In its 2005 election manifesto, Labour promised a referendum on the planned constitution, drawn up the previous year. But the need for a poll disappeared when French and Dutch voters defeated the idea.

Mr Brown promised yesterday to listen to debate on the new treaty - agreed by EU leaders at 5am on Saturday after fraught negotiations - though he said he could see no reason for a vote.

Critics said it was increasingly clear Mr Blair had boxed in his successor by signing an agreement that would implement-almost all the controversial-constitution.

The Chancellor stepped in during the negotiations to insist that Mr Blair stopped France watering down the EU's commitment to free trade.


But analysts said the treaty would undermine Britain's control over its foreign policy. Europe will get its own president, foreign minister and diplomatic service.

Both Mr Blair and Mr Brown insisted Britain's "red lines" were not crossed as the UK won an amendment making it clear the EU's ambitions to develop its own common foreign and security policy would not encroach on the interests of member states.

But critics said the "declaration", added to the footnotes of the treaty, would have no legal force.

Mr Blair also gave up Britain's veto in more than 40 areas, including migration, tourism, transport and energy.

But Mr Brown congratulated him on Sunday, saying his negotiating skills had done what the UK set out to do.

He insisted: "We have met our negotiating position."

The Chancellor also said he did not believe the public would see the need for a vote, as the deal was simply an "amending treaty" rather than a new EU constitution.

And if the Brits rise up with pitchforks proving they're not as stupid as you claim they are?.

He pointed out when the Tories were in power they had not seen the need for a referendum on the 1991 Maastricht treaty, which turned the European Community into the EU and paved the way for the creation of the euro.

But in Ireland, Mr Ahern said: "Given the fact that there was strong legal advice that the draft constitution in 2004 would require a referendum in Ireland, and given the fact that these changes haven't made any dramatic change to the substance of what was agreed back in 2004, I think it is likely that a referendum will be held.

"Ireland over the years has tended to err on the side of caution in relation to this because ultimately it is the people who should decide."

The Irish government was planning a referendum in 2005 but stopped its preparations after France and the Netherlands voted "no".

Both Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and former Tory Chancellor Ken Clarke backed Mr Brown's insistence there was no need for a referendum.

Mrs Beckett said Britain was not a country which governs by referendum.

She said: "People buy into the notion that somehow some massive change has taken place. This is not a massive change."

Mr Clarke admitted: "The nuts and bolts are obviously quite essential" but added: "What we have now is far less important than Maastricht. I think the idea we have a referendum is frankly absurd."

He went on: "Some of the Eurosceptics will have demanded a referendum just about the date on the top of the piece of paper, but they are flogging a dead horse."

And others may decide, sir, that you're frankly absurd. Time will tell.

It Wasn't Supposed To Be Like This

The European Union is no closer to compromising on the EU constitution treaty than they were a week ago. In fact, there are more disagreements now than there was before the summit began.

EU Struggles for Eleventh-Hour Deal
The European Union negotiations on a new treaty have yet to produce any tangible results. While outstanding issues have not been resolved, the EU leaders have managed to create even more points of disagreement.

Everyone had warned that the negotiations at this week's crucial European Union summit were going to be tough. The EU leaders have gathered in Brussels to hammer out a deal to replace the now defunct European constitution. But while some may have been hoping against hope that the posturing at home would give way to compromise in Brussels, it seems that instead most leaders are digging their heels in and are even finding new issues to argue about.

The delegates to this week's European Union summit were told to take an extra shirt -- the talks are expected to go on well into Friday night, and even Saturday morning. Summit host German Chancellor Angela Merkel is reported to have presented a revised draft treaty to EU leaders late on Friday afternoon. Now they are going to have to pull up their shirtsleeves and look for a compromise.

The summit is intended to resolve the issues that divide Europe, but over the course of the last 24 hours it seems that European leaders have failed to make any headway on outstanding issues, but have added more points of division to the pot.

While Poland and the UK had already laid out their opposition to the treaty, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was one of its main promoters. But France's attempt to persuade EU leaders to drop a reference to the goal of "undistorted competition" in the treaty has succeeded in putting another spanner in the works.

Under the original proposal, one of the EU's main objectives was listed as an "internal market where competition is free and undistorted." But France persuaded Germany, current EU president, to put a full stop after "internal market" in the new treaty. This may have intended for domestic consumption, but the UK and the Commission have found it distinctly unpalatable.

There's more.

Will They Get It?

More bad news for Angela Merkel, Tony Blair and Nicolas Sarkozy.

Voters in five west countries want referendum on EU treaty
Strong majorities of voters in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain want their governments to put any reworked EU constitutional treaty to a referendum, according to a poll published Monday.

The Harris Interactive Survey in the Financial Times business daily showed that 75 percent of Spaniards, 71 percent of Germans, 69 percent of Britons, 68 percent of Italians and 64 percent of French want the EU treaty that emerges from a Brussels summit later this week to be put to a public vote.

Voters also responded negatively to the idea of having a full-time EU president replace the current system of rotating six-month presidencies, with just 46 percent of those with an opinion supporting the idea.

Just 14 percent of Britons supported the proposal, while 54 percent of Spaniards were behind it.

A proposal for a new EU foreign minister post received more backing, however, with a total of 77 percent of those voicing an opinion saying they supported the proposal.

Again, Britain was the least keen on the idea, with 41 percent supporting it, while 81 percent of Italians were supportive.

Support for further EU enlargement -- particularly the addition of Turkey to the bloc -- was low, with none of the five countries in which respondents were questioned producing a majority in favour of further enlargement.

On the question of Turkey joining the EU, 71 percent of French voters and 66 percent of Germans opposed the idea.

Harris Interactive questioned 1,025 Britons, 1,014 Germans, 1,012 French, 1,090 Italians and 1,010 Spaniards over the Internet between May 31 and June 12 for the survey.

Interesting numbers, considering the EU constitution amending treaty was supposed to have been a done deal.

The poll also asked the question, "Which one, if any, of the following countries do you think is the greatest threat to global stability?"

Sorry, but you'll have to scroll the poll to see the results.

When Secret Plans Go Awry

Incoming British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is readying the nuclear option.

Gordon Brown defied Tony Blair last night by making clear he is prepared to give the British people a referendum on plans to resurrect the European constitution.

Geoff Hoon, the Minister for Europe, revealed that Mr Brown was ready to stage a national poll if Europe's leaders try to force through a deal that was unacceptable to Britain at this week's EU summit.

Last night, sources close to Mr Brown confirmed his position, with one describing Mr Hoon's comments as a "sensible" analysis of the situation.

Europe's leaders know such a move would kill off any hopes of a treaty because the British people would almost certainly vote it down.

Mr Hoon's intervention comes just two days after Number 10 had explicitly ruled out the need to hold a referendum, despite the Prime Minister's promise three years ago to do so.

It also threatens to reopen divisions between Mr Brown and Mr Blair as they prepare for joint talks with Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, tomorrow.

Can we call Tony Blair a French poodle, yet?

Perfidy Across The Pond

The Cousins are enjoying a media blitz leading up to the EU summit in Brussels later this week.

Tony Blair has been accused of 'knifing' Gordon Brown by holding secret discussions about a job as the first ever President of the European Union.

The Prime Minister was entertained in Paris by new French president Nicolas Sarkozy at an upmarket restaurant called Thiou, where they agreed a joint agenda on Europe.

French political sources have confirmed that President Sarkozy is keen for Mr Blair to take on a full-time paid role as the 'face' of the EU after he quits Downing Street.

But such an appointment would be a disaster for the Chancellor, who has long struggled to escape from the shadow of his political rival.

And Eurosceptic campaigners warn that the prospect of a lucrative post-retirement job in Brussels would compromise Mr Blair's ability to strike a good deal for Britain at this week's European summit, when EU leaders meet to agree a new treaty.

Critics claim this will effectively be a full-scale European Constitution by the back door.

The summit will almost certainly also agree the creation of a new powerful post, President of the European Council.

Neil O'Brian, director of the Open Europe think-tank, said: "The risk is that if Tony Blair has even half an eye on this job he will be more concerned about being a "good European" than fighting for Britain.

"A bad European treaty will be a poison pill for Gordon Brown. The Chancellor has been knifed."

Mr Blair's private dinner with Mr Sarkozy and his wife Cecilia at the Thai restaurant on the banks of the Seine has echoes of a previous restaurant encounter where Mr Brown was outmanoeuvred.

In 1994, at Granita in Islington, Mr Blair is said to have made a deal to hand over power to Mr Brown during his second term, leading to later accusations of betrayal.

The Paris meal, revealed here for the first time, took place on May 11, days after Mr Sarkozy's presidential victory and hours after Mr Blair publicly confirmed his retirement date.

Members of the Democratic Caucus were unavailable for comment.

EU Bigs Fear Constituents

In what seems to be a desperate attempt to get the fix in, we learn that Sarkozy's ready to endorse Blair's demands in Europe.

Tony Blair is poised to forge a united front with Nicolas Sarkozy at next week's European summit in Brussels, raising hopes that Europe's 27 leaders will finally reach a deal on replacing the EU constitution.

The only thing being replaced is constitution. They're going to call it a treaty so the great unwashed can be denied the opportunity to vote in a referendum.

In a dramatic illustration of how Anglo-French relations have been transformed by the departure of Jacques Chirac last month, President Sarkozy is expected to endorse key British demands at the summit.

Britain is confident that Sarkozy, who is said to have lobbied for Blair to become the new permanent president of the European Council, will agree that Britain should be exempted from two measures that have been seized on by Eurosceptics.

These are: making the Charter of Fundamental Rights, which increases the rights of workers, legally binding; and depriving EU member states of their national veto on criminal justice matters. Blair wants an 'opt out' from the former and an 'opt in' on the latter, giving Britain the right to decide which criminal justice matters it would agree to negotiate.

What's good for Britain isn't for Poles, Czechs, Romanians or Swedes? How . . . democratic Progressive.

------ ker-snip ------
The summit, which will take place on Thursday and Friday, will be one of the most important EU meetings in years. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor who holds the EU's rotating presidency, is determined to reach agreement on a replacement for the EU constitution which was rejected two years ago in referendums in France and the Netherlands.

Merkel, who was due to meet the Polish president Lech Kaczynski near Berlin last night, pleaded with EU leaders to give ground. 'The readiness of all to compromise will be necessary for it to be adopted,' Merkel said in her weekly podcast. 'If we get to work in this spirit next week, then I hope we will reach an agreement.'

Germany believes that failure to reach an agreement would plunge the EU into another round of infighting. Merkel wants to agree the key outlines of a new treaty - replacing the EU constitution - that would then be signed at the EU's end-of-year summit in December after a short inter-governmental conference in the autumn.

But Merkel faces a tough week. Britain is adamant that its 'red lines' - essentially the charter and the criminal justice voting changes - cannot be crossed. Poland is determined to dilute Germany's voting weight in the council of ministers.

The summit presents a particular challenge for Gordon Brown who will take over days after Blair returns from Brussels. Brown is encouraged by Merkel's decision that the constitution should be abandoned in favour of an 'amending treaty' that would simply change existing treaties. This would allow him to avoid holding a referendum on the measure that would probably be defeated.

In an earlier post, President Vaclav Klaus of the Czech Republic was quoted in regard to the European Union. It's worth repeating.

I am frustrated that the people in Europe do not see this fundamental metamorphosis sufficiently clearly and especially do not think about its inevitable consequences. I am angry with politicians and their fellow travelers that they do maximum to hide it and to make it fuzzy.

I consider it wrong. I am not satisfied with making only cosmetic changes. I am, therefore, in favour of redefining the whole concept of the European Union.

Mr. President, methinks your voice is being heard.

European Revolution On The Horizon?

Anger at Blair's 'secret deal' to sign new EU constitution

Tony Blair has been engulfed in a row over Europe after it became clear he is under huge pressure to sign a "son of constitution" treaty next week.

A leaked letter by current EU president Angela Merkel revealed that a deal is being drafted to revive almost all the controversial elements of the flopped European Constitution.

Kind of sounds like Trent Lott, The Fat Drunk, John McCain and the Amnesty Bill.

The disclosure sparked demands for a UK referendum on the new treaty - and angry claims that EU leaders were trying to smuggle in a massive new extension of Brussels power "by the back".

Yet, it was just two days ago that Blair, during a joint news conference with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, told reporters that in his opinion, "the decisive member states agree that the rejected European constitution cannot be revived".

Today Downing Street, which has already made plain that Mr Blair will not sanction a referendum, played down the fears and insisted that the final shape of the deal was unclear.

But the Merkel letter, which was leaked in Brussels, made plain that there is already broad agreement that "much of the substance" of the defunct constitution should be resurrected.

Writing to fellow leaders as part of the pre-summit exchange of views, she said it had been agreed to drop the term " constitution" to appease those who thought the EU was taking on the trappings of a state. But that was seen as "a major concession" - and most countries wanted "as much of the substance of the Constitutional Treaty as possible" to be saved. The implication was that the constitution would be revived in all but name, but this time without voters getting a choice.

Hmmm. Seems to me that Germany's been down that autobahn before.

Tory Europe spokesman Mark Francois said: "This is all being done in secret behind the back of the British people and the Parliament. If any further powers are given away, there must, absolutely must, be a referendum".

The constitution was controversial because it proposed scrapping national vetoes in dozens of areas, including policing and justice; the creation of a permanent elected president and foreign minister, and a legally binding Charter of Fundamental Rights that would increase trade union influence.

It was abandoned after being rejected in referendums in France and Holland. Britain had promised a referendum but Mr Blair says the new document will be just "an amending treaty" and need not be put to a vote.

In other words, the peasants are too stoopid to know what they'd be voting on.

He is expected to demand an opt-out from the Charter of Fundamental Rights and No 10 insisted that nothing had been agreed yet. "This document is a private report and we should not read too much into it at this stage" said a spokesman.

However, German officials were yesterday boasting that the new deal would give the European Union a "single legal personality".

Now that your Big Lie has been exposed, Tony, be not surprised when the Czechs tell you to kiss their ass, along with Poland and a few other EU members from New Europe.

Ironically, Blair and Merkel have provided an inconvenient truth to the opinion of the European Union recently put forth by Czech President Vaclav Klaus.

I am frustrated that the people in Europe do not see this fundamental metamorphosis sufficiently clearly and especially do not think about its inevitable consequences. I am angry with politicians and their fellow travelers that they do maximum to hide it and to make it fuzzy.

I consider it wrong. I am not satisfied with making only cosmetic changes. I am, therefore, in favour of redefining the whole concept of the European Union.

Mr. President, your wish just may have come true.


Have a question for Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus?.

UPDATE: The Daily Mail is running a poll.

More at EU Referendum

Blair In Agreement With Czech Republic

Czech, British PMs discuss EU summit

British Prime Minister Tony Blair expects tough negotiations at the EU summit in Brussels next week, but in his opinion the decisive member states agree that the rejected European constitution cannot be revived, he said after a meeting with his Czech counterpart Mirek Topolanek today.

Topolanek (Civic Democrats, ODS) said he and Blair agree on many approaches that they would try to push through at the summit in Brussels.

Blair said he supports the right of individual European countries to negotiate with the United States on the possible stationing of the U.S. missile defence shield on their territory.

Washington plans to station a radar base in the Czech Republic, while the missile part is to be in Poland.

It is up to the government of the respective country to solve this matter, said Blair.

He added he supports the Czech Republic as a good partner in the EU and a strong partner in NATO.

Blair stressed that the U.S. missile defence system is not aimed against Russia, but it should serve as a protection against the countries violating international law and developing nuclear weapons.

Topolanek said that in his opinion the recent Russian proposal to place part of the defence system in Azerbaijan can complete, but not replace the current plans.

Soviet Russian president Vladimir Paranoid was busy looking for phantoms.

Feral Beasts Decry Unfair Comparison With Media

He's being a bit unfair to the untamed beasts, who do have some principles, after all.

Tony Blair has said the media can operate like "a feral beast" and its relationship with politicians is "damaged" and in need of repair.

The prime minister said relations had always been fraught, but now threatened politicians' "capacity to take the right decisions for the country".

The arrival of web-based news and blogs and 24-hour television news channels meant reports were "driven by impact".

Mr Blair also said newspaper and TV regulatory systems needed to change.

In a speech to the Reuters news agency on public life, he said the media world was becoming more fragmented, with the main BBC and ITN bulletins now getting half the audiences they had previously and newspapers fighting for their share of a "shrinking market".

He said fierce competition for stories meant that the modern media now hunted "in a pack".

"In these modes it is like a feral beast, just tearing people and reputations to bits, but no-one dares miss out," he said.

Well, There He Goes Again

Soviet Russian president, Vladimir Paranoid, is showing that he's a master at winning friends and influencing people.

President Vladimir Putin yesterday declared that a new arms race and cold war with the west had begun and announced that Russia would retaliate against US missile defence plans in Europe by pointing its missiles at European cities.

He also indicated that he would not shy away from fights with the German chancellor Angela Merkel on human rights and harshly accused Britain of "politicising" the murder of the Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko.

Putie & human rights? LOL

On missile defence, Mr Putin said that if the Bush administration installed elements of a missile shield in eastern Europe, Russia would retaliate by training nuclear missiles on European targets. Russia has not specifically aimed its missiles at Europe since the end of the cold war but, asked if it might do so again if the US missile shield went ahead, Mr Putin said: "Of course we are returning to those times. It is clear that if a part of the US nuclear capability turns up in Europe, and, in the opinion of our military specialists will threaten us, then we are forced to take corresponding steps in response."

"What will those steps be? Naturally, we will have to have new targets in Europe."

The Euroweenies may wet their panties, but the Czechs and Poles (and the rest of New Europe) will never roll over for you, Putie.

"We want to be heard, we want our position to be understood. But if that does not happen, we lift from ourselves any responsibility for the steps we take in response, because we are not the ones who are initating the arms race in Europe."

Mr Putin's comments, in an interview with selected media from G8 countries at his dacha outside Moscow, appear calculated to inflict maximum panic among western leaders ahead of the G8 summit.

Putie, STFU.

Bush-Blair Derangement Syndrome On Display

Informed sources have told Great Britain's Telegraph newspaper that Queen Elizabeth II is exasperated with Tony Blair's legacy.

Boy, did that bring out the Koslings and other loonies!

The arrogant dictatorship of President Blair and his cohort, Princess Zippy was only to be expected. The fact that the British electorate fell for the smarm and failed to notice the eyes of a megalomaniac meant that they brought it upon themselves. I weep for this Kingdom across the board, but fear the damage will corode for decades to come. Thank God Her Majesty had the fortitude to finally flatten this shrimp in the face of the world!

Tony Blair leaves office in a couple of weeks after ten years and this nitwit says the Queen's alleged comments have flattened him.

Al-Qaeda Planning Massive British Attack

Maybe if they just surrendered faster, Al-Qaeda would be nice to them. Harry Reid thinks it's a workable strategy.

AL-QAEDA leaders in Iraq are planning the first “large-scale” terrorist attacks on Britain and other western targets with the help of supporters in Iran, according to a leaked intelligence report.

Spy chiefs warn that one operative had said he was planning an attack on “a par with Hiroshima and Nagasaki” in an attempt to “shake the Roman throne”, a reference to the West.

Another plot could be timed to coincide with Tony Blair stepping down as prime minister, an event described by Al-Qaeda planners as a “change in the head of the company”.

The report, produced earlier this month and seen by The Sunday Times, appears to provide evidence that Al-Qaeda is active in Iran and has ambitions far beyond the improvised attacks it has been waging against British and American soldiers in Iraq.

There is no evidence of a formal relationship between Al-Qaeda, a Sunni group, and the Shi’ite regime of President Mah-moud Ahmadinejad, but experts suggest that Iran’s leaders may be turning a blind eye to the terrorist organisation’s activities.

The intelligence report also makes it clear that senior Al-Qaeda figures in the region have been in recent contact with operatives in Britain.

MPACUK calls it scare-mongering, of course. Still, don't think they're not trying to acquire nuclear capabilities and would use them immediately.

“It could be just a reference to a huge explosion,” said a counter-terrorist source. “They [Al-Qaeda] have got to do something soon that is radical otherwise they start losing credibility.”

Despite aspiring to a nuclear capability, Al-Qaeda is not thought to have acquired weapons grade material. However, several plots involving “dirty bombs” - conventional explosive devices surrounded by radioactive material - have been foiled.

Last year Al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq called on nuclear scientists to apply their knowledge of biological and radiological weapons to “the field of jihad”.

Also at Weasel Zippers.