Italy a thorn in Cheney's side over Georgia

[Robbien]

Source: Financial Times

Once a favoured ally rewarded for his support of the US invasion of Iraq, Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's centre-right prime minister, has evolved into a serious irritant for the Bush administration in handling Russia's invasion of Georgia.

Strains in the transatlantic relationship were on display in Rome yesterday as Dick Cheney, the US vicepresident, and Mr Berlusconi read out statements.

Mr Cheney strongly condemned Russia's "unilateral efforts to alter by force of arms Georgia's internationally recognised boundaries", and reiterated that Nato had agreed on eventual membership for Georgia and Ukraine.

The US delegation, in Italy for five days, had pushed for clear endorsement from Mr Berlusconi. Instead, he did not utter a word of criticism against Russia. The Italian premier said he had tried to explain to Mr Cheney his personal success in helping to defuse "what happened in Ossetia and then in Georgia". He stressed the importance of sustaining the Nato-Russia council, the joint forum he inaugurated in 2002 with President George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin, then Russia's president.

Read more: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4ea2e514-7ed0-11dd-b1af-000077b07658.html

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Another article with the Headline: Sarkozy Deserts Bush, Europe Drifting From America


When Nicolas Sarkozy was elected President of France, it appeared that for the first time a French President was going to play a second fiddle to President Bush. He gave the impression that he was also a staunch rightist who was bent upon reversing the liberal and leftist traditions of France and tows the neo conservative and reactionary policies of President Bush. However, the recent developments in Europe and the Middle East show that Sarkozy has parted company with Bush.

Sarkozy played a very different role in the Russia – Georgia conflict as opposed to the Bush administration that has taken a strong anti Russian stand. Sarkozy has taken a neutral stand in the conflict and has strongly opposed the American policy of provoking confrontation with Russia. Sarkozy does not want to antagonize Russia and wants to continue cooperation with Russia. As the chair of the 27 nation European Union, Sarkozy effectively resisted the American pressure to impose sanctions on Russia. He was able to get a compromise from Russia and Georgia regarding the withdrawal of the Russian troops from Georgia. Russia will withdraw its troops from Georgia except Ossetia and Abkhezia and in return, Georgia will not try to retake Ossetia or Abkhezia .

Sarkozy’s mission was very different than the American vice President Dick Cheney’s trip to Georgia and Ukraine that looked like a deliberate move to provoke Russia. The Russians have already blamed him for provoking the conflict in order to have McCain win the Presidential election. Sarkozy tried really hard to calm the tensions on both sides. Sarkozy does not want Europe to become an arena for the third world war. Europe has suffered enough in the two world wars and is very reluctant to again become a battle ground.

http://www.indolink.com/displayArticleS.php?id=090908045536

Cheney is finding out that it sucks to be in a lame duck administration.

[dipsydoodle]

1. I like the last para in the article

"Privately, Italian officials argue that the US should be the last country to lecture Europe on the dangers of energy dependency, and that Mr Bush and Mr Cheney will soon move on, but Mr Putin and Russia's gas will not."

[ixion]

2. and the US is a red hot poker in the ass of the world

so it sounds like Italy has a ways to go to catch up.

[breathedeeply]

3. Mr Berlusconi had ultimately to yield to the opinions of the Italians,

Mr Berlusconi had ultimately to yield to the opinions of the Italians,
2 million of whom in Rome, plus 2 million in Milan
stood in the streets... perhaps the world's largest public
opposition to the war in Iraq.

[breathedeeply]

4. Berlusconi, Sarkozy, Harper, Merkel, Singh...

Berlusconi, Sarkozy, Harper, Merkel, Singh...
all part of the neocon conspiracy

[endthewar]

5. Awww, is Cheney's October Surprise failing to gain enough traction?

[Turner Ashby]

6. They want Obama to win.

They aren't going to help McCain a bit by going along with Cheney. Putin played this like a champ by saying he would now go along with the Europeans and withdraw from Georgia. God, can you imagine Palin going against that guy if McCain dies? McCain is bad enough, since he is an idiot, but she is totally clueless. Putin has run rings around the supposed "Russian expert" Condi Rice.

[bemildred]

7. One of Pooty-Poot's major goals is to pry the EU away from the US.

If Cheney was not such a narrow, angry half-wit, he would know that, and not be so anxious to help Pooty-Poot out.

[Amonester]

8. "Cheney’s trip to Georgia and Ukraine .... looked like"

"Cheney’s trip to Georgia and Ukraine .... looked like a deliberate move to provoke Russia"

Ummm.... ya think? :sarcasm:

It's like sayin' "The sky is blue." or even better: "Darth shot his lawyer in the face and got away hiding for hours."

How come that greedy devil's not locked behind bars yet? :shrug:

[cliss]

9. great article, and

thax for posting.

Europe - sitting on the fence.
On one side of the fence, you've got the US, desperate and hanging on to a fading supremacy.
On the other side, you've got Big Daddy Russia who supplies the Europeans with Oil and gas. Winter is coming, and the Farmer's Almanac is predicting a long cold winter.
Europe really has NO choice but to work with Russia. It's in their back yard, and Cheney can go stuff it.

==================
Europeans - they understand the US financial situation.
In a Swedish online newspaper, there are lots of comments about the FNMA & FMAC also Lehman Brothers.
The comments seem to be unanimous:
1) The U.S. is "in the grave"
2) The US is a financial corpse
3) It's over for the US what will happen next?
4) We need to start looking beyond the US