Blair may walk away from U.S. as G8 ally

[lovuian]

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=3ef7df884ce35e2c

Big News Network.com Thursday 2nd June, 2005 (UPI)

Britain is considering establishing a European alliance on Group of Eight plans for African aid and debt relief, the Guardian reported Thursday.

In the face of seemingly immutable U.S. opposition to proposals for the cancellation of debt and the tripling of aid to the poorest nations, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown are now considering going ahead without Washington fully on board.

Government sources told the Guardian Britain was planning to use the Group of Seven finance ministers meeting next weekend to establish a European consensus on aid and debt relief.

more...

Blair walking away from Bush ... he's feeling the heat over there in England!!!

[funflower]

1. Democracy happens!

:woohoo:

[Chopin]

15. Democracy has nothing to do with it.

All about money.

[Tempest]

16. It's not all about money

It's also about Bush not giving a shit about Africa.

If Africa was full of whites, I bet Bush would be willing to help.

[Chopin]

17. Bush is no "White Knight".

In this case it's all about the money.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

18. LOL!! "Bush is no "White Knight"." What a bunch of horse crap. n/t

[funflower]

20. I mean democracy in the UK. Blair is apparently feeling some

pressure to actually represent his constituents rather than being W's little right-hand man.

Maybe there is another explanation for Blair's sudden burst of independence?

[merwin]

2. Blair isn't a completely bad guy I guess. He's just a chump.

[funflower]

21. It's got nothing to do w/ Tony's character. His party lost a lot of seats

in Parliament, and he's realized he has to represent the UK, not Crawford, Texas if he wants to keep his job.

[merwin]

22. That says something about his character though. Would you ever

expect Commander Cuckoo Bananas to do that?

[funflower]

26. Good point.

[MisterP]

3. trying to prop ourselves up, are we?

[Jade Fox]

4. Uh-oh. That would not look good for Bush......

and that makes me so dang sad. Really is does.

Bush's stanchest ally--outa here!

[tavalon]

11. Hey!

Don't forget Poland! Except that Poland is already out the door................

Nevermind. ;)

[wtmusic]

5. Poodle, COME! I said, Poodle....COME!!!

Bad doggie!! :D

[EST]

6. Can't avoid the thought of the Brits, disguised as Iraqis,

dumping US tea in the harbor.

[yashuryabetcha]

7. LOVE it

[EST]

13. Welcome to DU!

We were hoping you'd show up.

[bpilgrim]

8. now WTF are the dumb fucking neoCONs gonna do NOW when folks IGNORE us?!?

even our 'ALLYS' one of dem dare unknown, unknowns, eh RUMMY?

BRAND America's STOCK has been heading south on a bobsled since these thugs took over.

do you think the neoCONs have another 911 for this senario... to get things - taking over the world - back on-track :nuke:

fucking CRAZIES

peace

[BadNews]

24. Shrub doesn't care if we are ignored on this issue.

Let the Euros spend all the money they want.

[bpilgrim]

27. it's not just THIS issue, though

the list is long and it's not just the UK on it :hi:


peace

[LuPeRcALiO]

9. Tony, start walking

and don't look back.

[Judi Lynn]

10. Hope this signals a real trend is forming. They finally have grown a spine

They'll need it to withstand the storm of vicious retribution to be unleashed against them once _Bush realizes he's lost his ability to intimidate them sufficiently.

[EST]

14. Politician+spine=oxymoron!

'Tis such an amazing world, where a "leader," who actually has guts, empathy, and a functioning brain is a rarity to be much remarked upon.

[DBoon]

12. poodle with a mohawk?

You'll never call him "fifi" again!

[AP]

19. The Dutch and French no votes are going to make it very hard for EU to...

...counter US hegemony, and they're all going to have to take steps like this to protect their economy.

A united EU could have been enough. They could have moved forward without having to explicitly distance themselves from the US. But I think now, until they get back on track with the union, the EU nations will have to go on the defensive right away and do things like this.

The heat Blair is feeling is not from being perceived as close to Bush. The heat is from being part of an EU that just took a big step backwards in terms of being to stand up to the US hegemony around the globe.

I also think it's important to note the difference between a progressive union (Europe) and and the RW goals of Republicans. The US needs very poor people who are desperate and easy to exploit so that they can protect the easy profits of the industries that donate to them. Europe needs a lot of middle class people in their hemisphere in order to create a fair, stable, wealth-producing economy. That's what this is all about.

[NNguyenMD]

23. I thought that the EU constitution referendum was given a resounding "non"

by the French and Dutch because of the unchecked free-market capitalism that would have antagonized the weakening economies of France and the rest of western Europe. I believe national sovereignty of individual nations was also another major concerns many countries have over the details of that specific EU constitution.

If you ask me, France and the Netherlands probably prevented Europe from taking that extra step closer to becoming like the exploitative free-market capitalistic orgy that pretty much characterizes corporate America.

[magellan]

31. That's my take on it too

We saw a BBC interview of a young "Non" campaigner; the Neolib free-market threat was the first thing she mentioned.

[snot]

34. If you appreciate the BBC as we've known it, PLS go to this link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=376080&mesg_id=376080

[PFunk]

33. They didn't say no to the EU, Just to the consitution.

Agreed. Most if not all of europe really does like the ideal of a united EU. They just are not going to sell their souls to do it. All they have to do to make this thing acceptable is to remove the free-markety capitalism crap.

[Jack Rabbit]

25. London Observer (June 5): Oil wealth urged to save Africa

From the London Observer (Sunday supplement of the Guardian Unlimited)
Dated Sunday June 5

Oil wealth urged to save Africa
By Gaby Hinsliff, Mark Townsend and Lorna Martin

The fabled wealth of the oil-rich Gulf states is to be targeted in an attempt to salvage a major debt relief deal for Africa ahead of the G8 summit in Gleneagles.

Although Chancellor Gordon Brown is now confident of a breakthrough deal with the White House on debt relief, which could be worth up to $1 billion a year, he is still seeking to plug a £20bn hole on aid.

Brown will challenge the Arab world to stump up more money - increasing the moral pressure at the same time on President Bush to give more generously. Despite their riches, boosted by oil, the Gulf states have had little tradition of donating overseas aid.

Writing for The Observer today, on the eve of crucial talks between Tony Blair and Bush in Washington, Brown argues that, to tackle global poverty 'it is critical that all wealthy countries, including the richer oil-producing states, join in'.

Paul Wolfowitz, the new head of the World Bank and a former key figure in the Bush administration, is understood to be interested in Brown's plan.

Read more.

This is a somewhat different take than what is given in the root post.

[Doctor_J]

28. Let's see, that leaves us with...

NO ONE!

WWIII is not going to be pleasant for the US

[Matilda]

29. Bush still has John Howard.

Deputy Sheriff of the Pacific.

[Rex]

30. The Crown wants to have more control over Africa!

Thank Zod we have corrupt evil capitalist pigs like the BFEE. They wouldn't let one penny escape their gluttonous maw.

[anarchy1999]

32. Only in our dreams may it come to pass. Tony save yourself!

Step away from the "family".