I can persuade George Bush on climate change - Blair

[T_i_B]

Source: Guardian

Tony Blair insisted yesterday that he could persuade President Bush to agree for the first time to a global target for a "substantial cut" in greenhouse gases within a framework sanctioned by the United Nations.

In an interview with the Guardian on the eve of the G8 summit, the prime minister said both elusive goals were now achievable and that America was "on the move" in its position on climate change.

Although Mr Blair said it would take tough negotiations over the next three days and it was still unclear exactly what the president would agree to, he was sure Mr Bush's speech last week, in which he talked about establishing a US-led initiative to tackle global warming, was not a ploy to undermine the UN or the G8.

" I think the announcement by President Bush last week was significant and important, and it is absurd to say otherwise, since it moved things on. On the other hand you then need to flesh out what it means." He stressed that any agreement reached between the G8 and the five leading developing countries would have to be sanctioned by the entire United Nations. Contemplating leaving the summit without a deal, or at least the framework for one, he acknowledged: "Failure is if there is not an agreement that leads to a global deal with substantial reduction in emissions at the heart of it."


Read more: http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2096437,00.html

---

Good look to him in persuading Bush, given that he will be out of office by the end of this month!

[fooj]

1. Spare us the bullshit, Tony.

" I think the announcement by President Bush last week was significant and important, and it is absurd to say otherwise, since it moved things on. On the other hand you then need to flesh out what it means."

WTF?

[Greeby]

2. I think today's Independent frontpage sums it up best

[orleans]

4. it's a modern day fairy tale: the poodle & the chimp

[Cha]

21. I thought it was..

"The Tale of The Sucking Poodle and The Ugly Chimp"?

[Nihil]

7. That is the best and most succinct summary to date.

It's just so damn embarrassing to be British when the behaviour
of our "leader" is down there in black & white.

:banghead:

[Cha]

22. It's not you or us..it's the

fooking sucking poodle and ugly chimp and their backers.

We're the ones who are fighting these atrocities.

[LeftishBrit]

11. Says it all!

[tanyev]

12. I gave you the best years of my life and all I got was this freaking medal?

:cry:




:rofl:

[aaronbees]

15. The tally says it all .....

Keep dreaming, Tony. :eyes:

[melody]

27. HA! At least Tony got a medal

The American people have gotten ... oh, wait, we're actually in negative numbers now.
- the WTC, - New Orleans, - our future ...

The George giveth, the George taketh away.

[PaulaFarrell]

3. This just proves he's delusional n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Well, he's given us a target we can measure him by

"a global target of a substantial reduction in emissions, and it needs to be clear that it is in the order of 50%". You really think you can get Bush to agree to that, Tony, given you've never been able to change his position substantially on any subject before now?

[Eugene]

6. Reuters: U.S. to refuse greenhouse gas goals at G8-official

Source: Reuters

U.S. to refuse greenhouse gas goals at G8-official
06 Jun 2007 09:07:12 GMT
Source: Reuters

HEILIGENDAMM, Germany, June 6 (Reuters) - The United States will
refuse to agree to targets and timetables for cutting greenhouse
gases at a summit of the Group of Eight starting on Wednseday,
a senior adviser to President George W. Bush said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been pushing for an agreement
at the June 6-8 meeting that global cuts of greenhouse gases of
50 percent by 2050 are needed to curb global warming.

"At this point in time we are not prepared to adopt that proposal,"
James Connaughton told reporters hours before a lunch between
Merkel and Bush.


Link: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L06887444.htm

[DRoseDARs]

8. What's he going to do? Look into Bush's eyes and see his soul?

Please don't, Tony. Bush has already proven that that method just fucks things up. Just look at Vladimir Putin...

[Maeve]

9. "Arf!" says Sandy...er, says Tony

Go lay down, that's a good boy.

[LeftishBrit]

10. Considering that all 'persuasion' thus far seems to have gone in the opposite direction...

I would think that's fairly unlikely. Anyway, Blair is a lame duck. Quack quack.

[PassingFair]

17. You underestimate their...

ENDLESS LOVE!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8845429906560840314

Ahhhh! A classic.

[Cha]

23. I like the picture at the last

G-8 was it? Where bush was eating and shit was coming out of his mouth when he didn't know the mic was on.

[Joe Bacon]

13. Sure, Tony! And I'm Tinkerbelle

Really, Tony needs to get off the fairy dust he and his pals have been snorting ever since Bush stole the Presidency

[hatrack]

14. Tony, Tony: just say no to crack!

Pathetic lame duck twit.

[antonialee839]

16. Ruff

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. So much for that claim, Tony: "US rejects German G8 climate goal"

Washington says it will not agree to a deal on slashing greenhouse gas emissions at the G8 summit in Germany.

A top US climate official said the G8 should not dictate members' policies, but President Bush said he still had a "strong desire" for a post-Kyoto plan.
...
James Connaughton insisted that there had been significant progress and consensus on the issue of climate change. But he made clear the US did not believe the G8 should be the forum for setting targets.

"There is significant agreement that those should be established on a national basis, and the only area of disagreement is that the G8 should dictate the national policies of its members," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6725801.stm

What that you're saying, Tony?
{Woof, woof}
Climate change agreement has fallen down the well at the G8 summit?
{Woof, woof}
You can pull it out with the help of your faithful master Georgie?
{Woof, woof}
I don't think so, Tony. I can see George from here, chucking rocks down the well while he's laughing. He's been your master for six and a half years now, hasn't he, Tony? The way he's treated you all that time ... you're close to the end of your political life ... maybe it would be better if I just put you out of your misery now. Goodbye, Tony.

[MasonJar]

19. Why is Tony setting himself up again?

[Cha]

24. Because tony is fulla

shyte and he can't help himself.

[Cha]

20. No ya can't, tony. Because then

bushits would have to admit they were wrong and Al Gore is right. HaHa.

[Javaman]

25. Sorry tony but your BJ's just don't do it for him* any longer. nt

[donkeyotay]

26. Wasn't Tony supposed to be a moderating influence on bush?

Wasn't he supposed to be a reasoned voice to keep bush from doing something insane like destroying the united states by destroying Iraq? That worked out well. Good luck with your next project, Tony. By the way, which secretive buyout organization is picking you up? Carlyle, or someone we've never heard of?

[Lisa]

28. gee, Tony -- if he wouldn't listen to you when he needed your support ...

... why would he listen to you now, when your time left in office can be measured in days?

Don't expect so much as a Christmas card from your pal Georgie, let alone an invite to the "ranch", once you're no longer PM.