tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-681148865964431927.post6714848447634093047..comments2023-11-05T01:40:27.910-07:00Comments on FOGG OF WAR: The Mediterranean UnionAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08399019375564825616noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-681148865964431927.post-40714810168482057892008-07-15T19:16:00.000-07:002008-07-15T19:16:00.000-07:00The Roman Empire bit was an exaggeration, yeah. I ...The Roman Empire bit was an exaggeration, yeah. I should have tied it better to the hype around everything. Anyway.<BR/><BR/>I think this shows a lot more hope than the Barcelona process because its leadership is "Sarkozy" and not "The European Commission." Sarkozy's on a bender, and has the executive power to snap his fingers and do these kinds of things, where the EU as a whole has shown us how easy it is for a council of squishy-liberal-democracies-pretending-they're-all-equal<BR/>to get mired down in bickering, and get nothing done.<BR/><BR/>Political thought won't align to a like-minded concert, but Club Med is part of a larger scheme to bring these countries together, and that they _offered_ to do so, that they agreed to be seen together and sign the same documents, shows a great willingness to work together. Sarkozy is overcoming much of the inertia for the peace process. Furthermore, these countries largely want to have access to European markets, and receive European benefits (like the solar farm), and I think they are likely to try to play by the rules.<BR/><BR/>There will be angst for Turkey--I am not sure if the EU is willing to openly declare that Club Med is going to change their opinions on Turkey. Will it really make it harder for Turkey to get into the EU?<BR/><BR/>It's true that the Saudis, Russians, and Chinese have clout on the issue. But the Chinese have largely backed off Iran, in part because they have their own problems to deal with, and in part because they're trying less and less to support pariah states. The Saudis want to make Iran's life as hard as possible, but they won't be able to do much about it after the Iraq matter is settled. The Russians... they're always a problem. Damn Russians.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08399019375564825616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-681148865964431927.post-46064656745815941572008-07-15T08:20:00.000-07:002008-07-15T08:20:00.000-07:00Looking at your last two sentences, I really have ...Looking at your last two sentences, I really have to wonder at your optimism (unless you're being sarcastic). First of all, Club Med looks suspiciously like the Barcelona Process, which is making only modest progress; why should we believe that Club Med will shine when the Barcelona Process hasn't?<BR/><BR/>Secondly, political thought among all these countries is not going to suddenly align into some like-minded concert. Especially among EU countries, concerns about the impact of free trade with the southern Med countries and other economic issues will be difficult to overcome. Some countries will resent France's bombast (is this truly meant to build a coalition, or just for France's further glory?), and there will be angst over whether this is just a consolation prize to mollify Turkey in its inability to get into the EU.<BR/><BR/>As for Iran and the Middle East, there are quite a few players that wield significant clout that you seem to have forgotten, including Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia. I have difficulty believing that Club Med (dominated by EU bureaucracy, hampered by political instability among the North African and Middle Eastern members) is going to be our knight in shining armor any time soon.CMLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14303670855268401130noreply@blogger.com