11/04/2004 06:34:43 PM|||Toni|||So now OLD EUROPE thinks let bygones be bygones! (note italics are my comments)

Found on Lucianne.

Europe Seeks New Beginning With Bush


By JOHN LEICESTER, Associated Press Writer

PARIS - European allies alienated by President Bush (news - web sites)'s first four years in power offered Wednesday to let bygones be bygones, saying they want to work with the new administration and seeking, right from Day 1, to get the new White House to listen more to overseas opinion.

And just why in the world would we want to listen to overseas (read: France, Germany, China, North Korea, Russia, Iran....) opinion? Here, get a clue- it's the LOSERS who should be listening to the winner!!

French President Jacques Chirac, in a congratulatory letter, said he hoped Bush's second term "will be the occasion for strengthening the French-American friendship."

What a sanctimonius piece of fois gra (read sh*t). Yeah Jacques I'll show you friendship you back stabbing money grubbing effette frog.


"We will be unable to find satisfying responses to the numerous challenges that confront us today without a close trans-Atlantic partnership," wrote Chirac. He addressed the letter to "Dear George."

Here's a different salutation: Dear Jacques......you are screwed!! Although we know it happens in the United States, it is still frowned on and generally looked on as morally unacceptable behavior ------ that's screwing your partner. We understand this is a long tradition for the French but Americans are not so forgiving.


Another critic of the Iraq (news - web sites) war, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said his government wants "a relationship of efficient, constructive cooperation with the U.S. government and with President Bush, respecting the ideas of each side."

Hey Jose` ....ffff you. You are a coward. Why should George Bush (who's a MAN or Warrior in the courage sense) listen to ANYTHING you have to say. RESPECT is earned.


Zapatero, who angered Washington by withdrawing Spanish troops from Iraq, stayed up most of the night to watch as Republican red crept across the U.S. electoral map.


Election interest in Europe was intense, as was the disappointment many felt over Bush's victory. Some saw it as proof that Europe and the United States are further apart than ever.

No, you don't say! That is just profound. NOT.


"There is a major and lasting lack of understanding between the American people and the rest of the world, in both directions," said Hubert Vedrine, a former French foreign minister. "Almost all nations, with perhaps three or four exceptions, wanted change."

And since you don't vote in the United States of America.....nobody cares what you think.


Others worried that Bush, strengthened by a bigger win than in 2000 and backed by a Republican Congress, would turn a deaf ear to world concerns.

Except for the Middle East, I wish he would. Maybe it's time that Old Europe took care of itself. Maybe getting their own Military and not relying on the US. Course I do realize that with all of your taxes going to social welfare programs and supporting all those people who aren't working and have no desire to work it could be difficult to fund a military. Especially considering you pretty much have to start from ground zero along with your problem of having an economy in zero growth.

"Europe will continue to criticize Bush the same way as earlier," said Swedish Prime Minister Goeran Persson. "But I do not believe that he will be more willing to listen."

Hey Goeran - so let me get this straight. George is going to listen to Europe bash him and his policies but will still turn the other cheek and be willing to listen to their wants, needs and concerns. Wow - you must really think all Americans are chumps. I am continually gobsmacked by the audacity and condescension of the Europeans. When the United States has saved their bacon thru 2 World Wars and now while Muslims take over their countries just through sheer birth numbers and they think George will be more willing to listen. It should only take another 20 or 30 years for Muslims to achieve majority status in many of the Euro countries and I'd be real interested to hear what Goeran would have to say then? These people are insufferable and do not deserve ANY credibility whatsoever.


Russian lawmakers and analysts cautioned that second-term U.S. presidents often flex more muscle to secure a place in history and warned that President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) could face more criticism from the White House over his efforts to consolidate power and tinker with Russia's electoral system, which critics have called a retreat from democracy.

See - Putin understands. He knows that George is a lame duck president and will be more willing to step off the edge. Although, I don't really think George will do that. I think he will continue to work on the same things he worked on in his first 4 years but was not successful. Like SS and privatizing a small % for younger workers, Supreme Court Justices and defeating Islamic terror while democratizing the Middle East. The primary factor to this success is to establish a democratic system in Iraq. That will make or break the Middle East. George is a plodder and planner by nature. That's what you learn when you get a Masters Degree in Business at Harvard. Oops. That's right I forgot, George Stooooopid and Skerry nuanced and intelligent.


Karsten Voigt, the German Foreign Ministry's top official for relations with Washington, said he hoped Bush would seize the chance for "a new beginning" with Europe.

Oh yeah. Karsten - he'll be grabbing you around the neck and shaking you like a wet dishrag. And lets see how the German economy (now in zero or negative growth) survives without he US Military welfare system. To think that this is Germany's top official for RELATIONS with Washington. That's how I'd try to influence people and win friends. Knock the most powerful man in the world and tell him what to do instead of groveling at his feet and saying.....oops sorry we were such dunces in the last 4 years. We'll play nice now.

"I hope that a re-elected President Bush would use the chance offered by his re-election for a new beginning in European-American and German-American relations," Voigt told ARD television, adding the U.S. leader would do well to "approach the Europeans ... and say, let us sit down and talk about where we have common interests."

Oh so now George (the 'Cowboy') is supposed to approach the Europeans! Gaaaaaaa. Please, can I just b*tch slap this moron now and be done with it?


"That is necessary on the Middle East, it is necessary and possible in fighting terrorism and in the question of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, but it is also needed in the question of AIDS (news - web sites), climate protection and other issues."

Exxxccccuuuseeee me. George is the only leader in the world who put his political butt on the line (to the consternation of his base) and pledged 15 Billion dollars towards AIDS in Africa. What did he get but back stabbing and a twisting of the knife from Kofi and his henchmen and Mandela and all those two faced African nations. How about we just let the European Union take up the cause and pay for all of this themselves since the US is primarily funding the military operation in Iraq and Afghanistan. Oh - the Euro's don't have the funds? I don't think the US should have anything to do with Africa other than following the Islamic terrorists in African countries.


Although Germany has offered help rebuild Iraq and is training new Iraqi police and military, Voigt said "the German military will not be sent to Iraq."

No sh*t Sherlock. That's because you don't have any capacity to send any German military to Iraq. The average age of the German military is OLD in terms of warriors and that is 40 years of age. What's the average of the US - maybe 23 years of age?


Bush allies in the war on terror took comfort in continuity.


"From our point of view, the Bush administration is a known quantity," said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. "We've had a very good relationship with them for the last four years and I'm sure we'll be able to keep building on that over the next four."

See the Aussies know what to say and be nice and supportive.


But even among these supporters, there were appeals for Bush to work on healing the trans-Atlantic rift.


"It is not natural to have — maybe not a cold war — but, in any case, a chilling of relations along theses lines," said Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka. "I hope that European leaders and President Bush will show initiative in this area."

The prime minister of Denmark, which has 501 troops in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, said his nation will "stay there as long as needed," but added that the overall goal was "to get out of Iraq."

Hungary, meanwhile, announced it would withdraw its 300 non-combat troops from Iraq by the end of March. Its government has been under mounting pressure from citizens and opposition parties who object to the soldiers' presence.

So much for helping Hungary get out of the oppression of communism. Glad they understand the concept of 'Paying It Forward'. (I'm of course being snarky)

European wish lists for White House action include catching terror chief Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), reining in Iran's suspected nuclear program, tackling environmental problems and bringing peace to Iraq, to name but a few.

Oh yeah - I'd put environmentalism right at the top of my list. NOT.

British lawmaker Norman Baker urged Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites) to "ring up Bush and say, `George, congratulations on winning the election. Now can we talk about climate change?'"


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