Blogroll Me! How This Old Brit Sees It ...: Bush Pushes For European/Turkish Union ...

08 January 2008

Bush Pushes For European/Turkish Union ...

*

Someone, whose name (momentarily) entirely escapes us, once said that one of the most miraculous things about miracles is that they sometimes actually do happen. And after today we're a lot less inclined to argue.



We mean ... who the hell would'a thunk it?

That is, ourselves ever agreeing with anything that ever came out of the mouth of George W.Bush. Of course, it's always possible that good ole Dumbya's finally done gone and damned well, come right out and agreed with what we've been yelling (loud and clear), for yonks.

As a matter of fact, come to think of it, it could even have been for lots longer.





Bush supports Turkey bid to join EU
Yep, you read that right.

Now, read on.

WASHINGTON - President Bush gave Turkey's bid to join the European Union a glowing endorsement on Tuesday and called the Islamic nation a "constructive bridge" between the West and the Muslim world, offering a much-needed boost to U.S.-Turkish relations.

"I think Turkey sets a fantastic example for nations around the world to see where it's possible to have a democracy coexist with a great religion like Islam and that's important," he said.

Bush spoke to reporters following a meeting with Turkish President Abdullah Gul. The two appeared together on the South Lawn, where Bush said he supported Turkey's efforts to fight the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK rebels, in northern Iraq.

Bush called the PKK an enemy to Turkey, Iraq and "to people who want to live in peace."



So, read the rest of this remarkable report.

*( Cross posted at Appletree )

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10 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Looks like he's realised he can't get Turkey's leaders to be poodles, so he's hoping some of his European poodle leaders will help do some of his|America's strong arming in future.

4:47 pm  
Blogger D.K. Raed said...

Remind me why Bush's opinion of what the EU should or should not do matters?

Oh I do sympathize, Richard, truly. Every once in awhile you find yourself actually agreeing with a pinprick like Bush. It's enough to cause brainfreeze until you remember that even a barbary ape can stumble across a good idea every few decades. Apologies to the implied insult to barbary apes.

6:33 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

When did Bush or his gang of murdering looters ever think of anyone except themselves? Think US bases on Turkish soil, think oil pipelines, think more bloodshed, plunder and destruction when the US invades Iran.

The Turkish website 'todayszaman.com' has an article by war criminal Madeleine Allbright, giving her advice to the next US Bully-in-Chief:

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=131030

Read it with a sick-bag in your hand.

*angryoldlady*

7:07 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bushes true motive? Of one thing we can be certain ~ it's ULTERIOR. Everything his administration has done and still does is to the detriment of 95% of the peoples of the nonne American world ~ and 95% of his own people.

Sadly some Americans have still not cottoned on to this.

Lining the pockets, in whatever way possible, of his own uber-criminal class is his single goal.

7:24 pm  
Blogger dubhaltach said...

Not a new policy though Richard:

Remarks at U.S.- EU Ministerial Joint Press Conference With Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen, EU High Representative Javier Solana, and EU External Affairs Commissioner Christopher Patten

"All of us hope that democracy and prosperity continue to spread across the European continent. And that is why the United States has so strongly supported Turkey's accession to the European Union. And today, I reiterate our support for Turkey membership."

That was 2003.

You would have to dig through the State Department's archives to find it but back in 2002 Powell wrote putting pressure on the EU to let Turkey in. This report from the Torygraph ooops Telegraph has a good write-up of it the relevant bit are below:

"Europe dismisses Bush plea to let Turkey join earlier
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard in Copenhagen
Last Updated: 11:06pm GMT 13/12/2002

The EU flexed its muscles at the Copenhagen summit yesterday, dismissing American pressure to speed up the admission of Turkey as unwarranted interference.

President George W Bush was given a taste of the EU's newfound confidence as a future colossus of 25 states, led by a revived Franco-German axis, when he was told accession talks with Turkey were entirely "a European decision".

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Denmark's prime minister, told Mr Bush caustically that Washington had failed to grasp the meaning of EU membership, which involves sharing a law-making parliament, a currency and a supreme court in a close-knit union.

He asked: "If you are so keen on us letting the Turks into the EU, why don't you let Mexico into the United States?" Mr Bush deflected the rebuke by laughing, according to Danish sources.

Several EU leaders, including Jacques Chirac, the French president, delivered tirades against the Americans at the summit dinner on Thursday night.

The common refrain was that Washington was trying to force the pace for its own purposes, chiefly to secure Turkey's vital air bases for the war against Iraq but also because it stands to gain from any weakening of Europe's cohesion as a political bloc.

Saying that American meddling had hurt the Turkish cause, some leaders took particular offence at a letter from Colin Powell, secretary of state, saying Europe should open the door to Turkey even if the country failed to meet the entry criteria of civilian democracy, respect for democracies and the rule of law."

8:44 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very interesting links and quote, Dubhaltach.

I know the US was desperate to use Turkey for launching attacks on Iraq in the beginning, but why suddenly 'join the fray' again? What other NEW plans do you think they have?

10:06 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

SCOTLAND salutes your indefatigability, Sir.

Highland Free Press
http://www.weddingscot.info/
Scotland is under attack from European Union.
Please see website for information

1:01 am  
Blogger Moon Rattled said...

Turkey's the only European country that still supports GW Asshole's Iraq fiasco. I'm sure the support hangs by a thin thread. He's not doing it because he's smart but because of how doing so can benefit him.

And anyway, I doubt it's his idea. Probably Condi's.

3:23 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

True, dubhaltach, but Chirac is no longer in power in France. The ex-Mossad agent Sarkozy has taken over. It's a different ball game, now. Bush seems determined to attack Iran before he leaves office, and Turkey would be a good strategical base for his troops.

9:33 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Those same thoughts crossed my mind too, anon.

10:28 pm  

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