Article

2005-03-24 Europe

Chirac betrays Blair on Britain's rebate

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Bulldog 2005-03-24 3:53:19 AM|| || Front Page|| [11128 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Why not the simple solution? Don't send the money in the first place.

Posted by ed 2005-03-24 7:05:29 AM|| 2005-03-24 7:05:29 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 This appears to have moved beyond the "working behind the scenes stage. Blair needs to publicly repudiate the quid pro quo, now that Chiraq has publicly gone back on his given word to take the quid out of the equation. Blair should also publicly apologize to his countrymen for foolishly trusting Chiraq, there have after all been ample proofs that the man's word is very definitely not his bond. Refusing to put the Constitution to a referendum under the circumstances is also necessary -- clearly it is not workable for Britain as it stands. I'm sorry Aris, but the EU Constitution, all 200+ pages of it, is worthless if France freely adjusts reality regardless of agreements made with the rest of Europe.

Posted by trailing wife 2005-03-24 7:24:28 AM|| 2005-03-24 7:24:28 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Do you want to go from being a first-world country to a third-world country? Then try the new, improved "European social model"! Available for only 1.26 per cent of GDP in a limited time offer. Call M. Chirac today!

Posted by Spot 2005-03-24 8:50:43 AM|| 2005-03-24 8:50:43 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Chirac reminds me of that old story about a scorpion and a frog. He just can't stop himself from stabbing others in the back, can he?

(Both of them were on a piece of land slowly being surrounded by water, and the water was getting deeper and faster by the minute. The scorpion asked the frog to carry him on his back when he swam across to safety. The frog refused, because he was afraid that the scorpion would sting him. The scorpion promised that he wouldn't do that. So the frog let the scorpion on his back and started swimming. They were almost on the other shore when the scorpion stung the frog. The frog asked the scorpion why he did that, since now they would both die. The scorpion said it was because he couldn't help himself.)

Posted by Desert Blondie 2005-03-24 9:31:22 AM|| [http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com/] 2005-03-24 9:31:22 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 France..its time for the nuclear option.

Posted by R 2005-03-24 9:38:57 AM|| 2005-03-24 9:38:57 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 Someone should open a debate in Britain about a "Post-EU Britain", if for no other reason, than to create a meme that such a thing is not unthinkable. It could use as an axiom that the EU will fail, and what will Britain do then? With the "paper EU" still in existence, like the Holy Roman Empire, but universally ignored except by the dwindling number of bureaucrats who still issue empty demands and threats from Brussels, Britain will again have to re-establish its identity as a unique political and cultural entity. Britain will need to form shifting alliances and enmities with other Continental powers, such as Germany and Poland; which would more represent economic blocs in competition than hostile military agreements.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-03-24 9:47:13 AM|| 2005-03-24 9:47:13 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 Chirac being Chirac.

Yawn.

See Tony, you liberals are too trusting.

Posted by BigEd 2005-03-24 10:15:22 AM|| 2005-03-24 10:15:22 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 The scorpion said it was because he couldn't help himself

The version I always heard used the same animals but took place crossng the Nile. When asked why Scorpion sez.... Hey! It's Eqypt!

Posted by Shipman 2005-03-24 2:53:03 PM|| 2005-03-24 2:53:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 I believe the traditional story has the fox carrying the gingerbread-boy across the river. As they get into deeper water the fox convinces the gingerbread-boy to move closer and closer to his mouth. Eventually, the fox gobbles-up the cookie-boy.

Bottom line: don't trust a fox to go against his nature. Especially if you are a tasty ginger-bread boy.

Does this mean the UK is actually a floating island of gingerbread in a rising tide of EU milk with fox-like Chirac getting ready to take a bite?

I don't know. Metaphore is stretched to the breaking point.

Posted by Leigh 2005-03-24 7:31:26 PM|| 2005-03-24 7:31:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 "...Mr Blair... regards France as a potential ally..."
There's your problem, Tony -- ignoring a thousand years of English history.

Posted by Tom 2005-03-24 8:13:27 PM|| 2005-03-24 8:13:27 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 purdy boring version Leigh. ima know another version where breer fox takes the ride across the apalachicola on brother gators back and brother gator descides to eat brer fox in the middle of the river. in this version brer fox pulls out a double barrel sawyer from under his fine fur and blows brer gators head off, then calls in an ARC LIGHT against ALL KNOWN GATOR TERRITORY FROM GAINESVILLE SOUTH making it unsable for all. And thatn' how the story goes.

Posted by Half 2005-03-24 8:42:35 PM|| 2005-03-24 8:42:35 PM|| Front Page Top

07:56 anon
23:59 True German Ally
23:56 3dc
23:53 mojo
23:51 AzCat
23:44 AzCat
23:40 mojo
23:33 True German Ally
23:28 True German Ally
23:26 Alaska Paul
23:25 jackal
23:24 Seafarious
23:21 Frank G
23:20 Frank G
23:18 True German Ally
23:16 mom
23:13 True German Ally
23:12 Seafarious
23:09 Frank G
23:06 AzCat
23:06 jackal
23:05 SteveS
23:04 jackal
22:50 kilowattkid