Re: Race of the Vassals

Yes, Denmark is certainly a huge question mark. Perhaps the decision to sign
it by Anders Fogh Rasmussen can in some way be linked to the recently very
tough immigration laws implemented in Denmark by the sitting right wing
coalition, due to the success of the very immigrant-hostile, specifically
anti-moslem, Danish Folk Party (Dansk Folkeparti)?

/Carl Nordlund

-----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
Från: wsn-owner@csf.colorado.edu [mailto:wsn-owner@csf.colorado.edu]För
Threehegemons@aol.com
Skickat: den 31 januari 2003 00:38
Till: boles@svsu.edu; wsn@csf.colorado.edu
Ämne: Re: Race of the Vassals


In a message dated 1/30/2003 4:22:25 PM Eastern Standard Time,
boles@svsu.edu writes:

> This latest NYT article explains, in the words of Elmar Brok of
> Germany's Christian Democrats, that "The race of the
> vassals has begun."

I was quite amused by this phrase.  The only historically resonant phrase
the US president can use is 'Wanted: Dead or Alive" but, obviously,
Europeans have more to work with.  Clearly the pledge of eight is a setback
for the concept of a united Europe.  But how does Europe presently break
down?

France, going back to DeGaulle, has always been unhappy about US hegemony,
so I don't think its seen as that big a deal that its grumbling.

Britain has sought to retain geopolitical importance by acting as a bridge
between the US and the continent--lately, in practice, this has meant acting
like the 51st state (even Canada has more guts).  This may result in a major
crisis for the Labor party.

Spain and Italy are ruled by right-wingers apparently seeking to strengthen
their credibility with the US president.  Both, however, are likely to
suffer some domestic fallout for their fealty (Italian polls show that
roughly 75% of the nation is against a war...As Berlusconi reportedly told
the Stampa daily newspaper: "It would have been better if our American
friends had not drawn us into this dance."  (from the Guardian)) .  They
face energetic, large social movements who see the issue of US power as
indivisible from all other issues of global justice.

Hungary, Poland, Portugal and  the Czech Republic are all small enough to be
subjected to diplomatic arm twisting.

Denmark, I don't get.

That finally leaves Germany, which has historically been the lynchpin of US
hegemony on the continent.  So long as Germany doesn't cave, the US has a
serious problem--an economically powerful pole to rally around as qualms
deepen.

Steven Sherman