“NOBODIES” CHOSEN FOR NEW PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN MINISTER, BY POWERFUL NATIONAL BLOCS
by John Charlton
(Dec. 4, 2009) — Any expectation that Europe would take the stage as a world power, with the approval of the Lisbon Treaty establishing a quasi-federal system of continental governance, were dashed this week with the appointment of “backbench” “nobodies”, according to a report by Carsten Volkery of Spiegel Online.
The European ministers chose Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy as president and Baroness Catherine Ashton, a Brit, as foreign minister.
The politics of the day in Brussels — the official capital of the European Union — remains as it ever was: of a continent so divided by national loyalties that continental unity under the EU is about as much a political possibility as it was in the age of Christendom in the Middle Ages.
The pragmatism of the day won out, writes Volkery — the EU officialdom chose “nobodies” precisely because they have no personal clout to call in our out, the national leaders of the disparate Union states:
Ultimately, the two new leaders are a sign of just how little the EU is valued in Europe’s capitals. The British government had two compelling candidates for the job of EU foreign minister, in the form of Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Business Secretary Peter Mandelson. But both of them considered national politics to be more important. The British general election is just months away, and after that power will be redistributed within the Labour Party. Hence Ashton was chosen. On the day of her election, the best that could be said of her was that she is a good listener. Naturally the fact that the new EU foreign minister is a woman has also been welcomed.
Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted by saying graciously that the two would “grow” into their new positions. Indeed, expectations are so low that Van Rompuy and Ashton can only be a positive surprise.
Just a month ago European leaders and writers gloried in the prospects of the emergence of a new world power, Europa. Today the stark reality of the bondage to which Europe is held fast due to the deeply-embedded mindset of rivalry-among-neighbors which has marked European culture for thousands of years.
The New President of the European Union
In a scathing, yet fact based exposé, Paul Belien, writing for the Brussels Journal, recounts his long acquaintance with the new President of Europe, Herman Van Rompuy.
Van Rompuy began as a seemingly ardent, conservative Catholic politician; but once he was offered the gateway to power and authority, he abandoned his principles, going so far as to push through the first law to legalize abortion in Belgium. By siding with the French speaking minority of his country, he succeeded in a devious political maneuver to become leader of a government run by the French speakers, which opposes the implementation of the ruling of the national Supreme Court in an election-district dispute. Belien after summarizing the un-democratic principles of Van Rompuy, points out to the rest of the world that his ascendancy as President is nothing to applaud:
Now, Herman has moved on to lead Europe. Like Belgium, the European Union is an undemocratic institution, which needs shrewd leaders who are capable of renouncing everything they once believed in and who know how to impose decisions on the people against the will of the people. Never mind democracy, morality or the rule of law, our betters know what is good for us more than we do. And Herman is now one of our betters. He has come a long way since the days when he was disgusted with Belgian-style politics.
Herman is like Saruman, the wise wizard in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, who went over to the other side. He used to care about the things we cared about. But no longer. He has built himself a high tower from where he rules over all of us.
The New Foreign Minister of the European Union
As for Lady Ashton, the new foreign minister; she was so politically out of the loop, that she did not know of her candidacy until hours before her appointment. The BBC in an unsigned report has this to say about her unexpected appointment:
British newspapers said the choices would not help the EU to achieve a greater global impact and questioned whether Baroness Ashton would carry much weight in her new role, which had been dubbed the “EU’s foreign minister”.
But Lady Ashton, the former EU trade commissioner, said European leaders were “very comfortable” with her appointment.
“Over the next few months and years I aim to show I am the best person for this job,” she said. “I think for quite a few people, they would say I am the best for the job and I was chosen because I am.”
And quoted Hilary Clinton’s reaction on the appointments; a reaction which evinced all the expertise and prudence she is known for:
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the appointments were a “milestone for Europe and for its role in the world”.
Considering that Clinton is herself a member of an unconstitutional, undemocratic regime of elitists, her comments could not be more consonant with her political philosophy.