Blogposts by Tag: USA

  • Le choc militaire avec la Chine

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    Rating: 3/5 with 2 votes

    Published Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 12:10
    by BenoitFabre in EU in the world (350 views and 1 comments)

    Nous sommes embourbés dans quelques pays du Tiers-monde : Afghanistan, Irak, Kosovo, où nous déployons le maximum de nos capacités déportables sans succès.

    Imaginez un instant que la dictature chinoise paranoiaque, qui n'est pas en voie de démocratisation par l'économie, mais ressemble plutot à un virus mutant, aie une poussée de fièvre militariste, contre Taiwan tout d'abord, puis contre le Vietnam, la Corée et le Japon, sans parler de ses rivalités avec l'Inde. Que serions nous en mesure de faire ?

    Je rappelle que la Chine nous tient en nous jouant les uns contre les autres dans la compétition économique, qu'elle a acheté les meilleurs sous-marins soviétiques, qu'elle peut faire exploser en vol nos satellites espions, qu'elle a 3 millions d'hommes sous les drapeaux complètement fanatisés, que sa population est nationaliste car ignorante des enjeux internationaux, donc prête à une longue et dure guerre. Et nous ?

    Pour moi, la nouvelle doctrine anti-dictature devrait englober une vaste alliance OTAN_bis:USA+Europe_PESD+Russie, alliée à l'Inde, au Japon et à la Corée du Sud. Il y a urgence à ne pas s'endormir sur nos lauriers, et à décripter le véritable langage de rapport de force de la dictature chinoise.

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    Tags: China, defence, Russia, USA


  • manifesto2009 barometer: EU in the world II

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    Published Thursday, April 3, 2008 at 09:57
    by Editor in EU in the world (464 views and 0 comments)

    The debates on the theme 'EU in the world' continue on a speedy track. During the last month a lot of progressive view-points and ideas have been aired - also on the international responsibilities of the EU and of each and every European citizen. Here’s an account of the debate since the last 'EU in the world' barometer:

    A more transparent and accountable EU foreign policy
    A new debate has been started by social democratic European foundations on the need to have a more transparent and more accountable EU foreign policy. The aim is to ensure that European citizens are aware that, besides the gaps that are always highlighted in the news headlines, the EU is quite successful in its external policies. More democratic control is also required, including through the European Parliament.

    Development - a focus on brain drain and decent work
    Participants are concerned about development as a crucial aspect of the EU’s external activities. Brain drain is a key issue, with Scandinavian PES activists considering that knowledge sharing, education, and brain drain must be given a lot of thought in EU development and foreign policies. The PSOE proposal... read more

    Tags: barometer, decent work, defence, democracy, fair trade, Russia, UN, USA


  • Foundations debate 'EU in the world' in sunny Sofia

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    Published Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 10:52
    by Editor in EU in the world (454 views and 2 comments)

    Social democratic European foundations are working hard to contribute to a PES manifesto based on progressive values. The first meeting of the European Network of Social-Democratic Foundations (ENSoF) took place on 29 March 2008 in the beautiful city of Sofia, under the coordinating wing of the Institute for Social Integration of Bulgaria, to debate issues related to the manifesto theme ‘EU in the world’.

    There was a general agreement on the need to have a more transparent and more accountable EU foreign policy, in order to ensure that European citizens are aware that, besides the gaps that are always highlighted in the news headlines, the EU is quite successful in its external policies - for instance in its projects and missions in Eastern European countries. Discussions addressed the need to reinforce strategic partnerships with key international actors such as the United States and Russia. A strong and independent European security and defence policy was viewed as a way to ensure the EU can act alone, even militarily, when required, even without the support of the United States and of NATO – but always in full respect of international law. Representatives of the foundations agreed... read more

    Tags: defence, disarmement, Middle East, multilateralism, neighbours, Russia, security, USA


  • France and Germany : What are they thinking of ?

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    Rating: 2.8/5 with 4 votes

    Published Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 11:00
    by frederic.vareillas Join PES activists in EU in the world (323 views and 1 comments)

    Hi,

    Recently, the French President took a trip to Washington to say to the US congress how he "admired John Wayne". I won't elaborate.

    Then John Mc Cain came to Paris and that same President promised to send more French troops to Afghanistan.

    Next, the French President is preparing an alliance with Britain to develop Nuclear technology, build and export nuclear plants with the British and only the British.

    He baptized a new submarine with sixteen nuclear missiles on board ("the Terrible", by the way).

    I have just one thing to say : My God ! What does Germany think about that ?

    Regards,

    Frederic (Paris)

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    Tags: conflict, defense, energy, Multilareralism, neighbours, peace, security, USA


  • EU - soft or hard power?

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    Published Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 09:20
    by cafeneaua.politica Join PES activists in EU in the world (314 views and 0 comments)

    Two questions from Sorin Platon:
    • Why is the EU seen as a promoter of “soft power” and the US as one who uses too much “hard power”?
    • Knowing that the image of United States has deteriorated in the last years, wouldn’t be a good idea to adopt a more diplomatic approach on international crisis and use violence only as a last resort?
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    Tags: democracy, EU, USA


  • manifesto2009 barometer: EU in the world

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    Published Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 11:33
    by Editor in EU in the world (558 views and 2 comments)

    Participants in the EU in the world debate seem to agree that the EU should play a greater role in international politics and some offered specific proposals on how this could be done.

    Development - a lot more than economic growth
    Development has been a central issue of the debates. Pattheact noted the need to deal with the emergence of new donors, such as China in Africa. This new aid and loans come without conditions of good governance, and therefore can have a negative impact in developing countries, perpetuating the corrupt systems. Eurodad proposed that the EU adheres to a set of responsible financing standards, to avoid the resurgence of the spiral of unpayable debt in developing countries. Our previous blogger of the week Victor Negrescu also insists on the need for more coherent development cooperation strategies to improve the efficiency of development aid and ensure its focus on the needs of local populations. On a related topic, Kim noted that the PES should take part in the discussions on globalisation,... read more

    Tags: barometer, climate change, development, human rights, peace, UN, USA


  • Eric Sundström: foreign policy according to our left side of the brain

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    Rating: 4.5/5 with 6 votes

    Published Saturday, February 16, 2008 at 21:00
    by Eric Join PES activists in EU in the world (694 views and 4 comments)

    Hello for the last time in a while!

    This is my last blog post as your guest blogger, and as promised I will write about ”EU in the world”.

    The big debate in Swedish politics this week was the yearly foreign policy debate in the 'Riksdag' (our parliament). Across the Atlantic, ”the Potomac Primaries” in dear old Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia pretty much locked up the presidential nomination on the Republican side for John McCain. Between those two events, a striking similarity must be underlined.

    It is often said that foreign policy never determines the outcome of elections, a ”truth” that had to be modified in the US after a the 11th of September 2001. In Europe, foreign policy is still rarely the dominating factor in our elections, but it sure can help to reinforce the general message of a campaign. An example is the general election in Sweden in 1985, when Olof Palme was our Prime Minister. A vote for Olof Palme, and thus the Social Democratic Party, was a vote on equality and solidarity in Sweden (in that campaign, more jobs, higher pensions, and increased funding for football clubs etc who organized activities for kids). But it was also a vote for something bigger; more equality in the world and an end to apartheid in South Africa. A vote on more equality, both in Sweden and abroad.

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    Tags: blogger of the week, disarmement, solidarity, USA


  • Eric Sundström: having a beer at a red think tank in Brussels?

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    Published Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 13:24
    by Eric Join PES activists in European democracy & diversity (476 views and 2 comments)

    Hello again folks,

    As your guest blogger this week, I have decided to bring up serious questions, but I also want to bring personal stories into it. I hope this will facilitate things and make the posts more interesting when you follow my train of thoughts. So here goes again:

    In 2002-2003 I had one of the best experiences of my life. I was working as a ”research fellow” at a Democratic think tank in Washington DC. The think tank can be traced back to Bill Clinton’s renewal of the Democratic party, but also his great interest in policy. Both Clintons are real policy wonks, if you didn’t know.

    Being a ”research fellow” meant that I wrote a few rather serious papers and articles, but most notably it gave me a chance just to hang around at a think tank in Washington DC. I had the opportunity to just be there and learn how the political world works up on Capitol Hill. Hanging out also included a beer or two at the classic über-political hangout ”Hawk and Dove”, as well as a fantastic meeting with senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota (who tragically died in a plane crash in the autumn of 2002). I was also by far the worst soft ball-player on the team the think tank had, but it was fun to play against other think tanks and...

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    Tags: blogger of the week, PES, USA


  • Yourspace goes to the States: Protecting workers jobs and workers money

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    Rating: 4.7/5 with 7 votes

    Published Friday, February 8, 2008 at 16:40
    by Editor in EU in the world (475 views and 0 comments)

    The PES delegation in the US have found strong agreement with Democrats on the need to do something about international financial markets, especially hedge and private equity funds.

    These privately-owned funds are often exempt from the transparency and tax rules that apply to all other players in the financial markets! They are often involved in ‘leveraged buy outs’ where healthy companies are bought with borrowed money, the company is saddled with high debts and workers are laid off – or given worse working conditions - in a hunt for bigger profits. There is consensus on both sides of the Atlantic – at least between the PES and senior Democrats – that the lack of information about the activities of these funds is damaging for the stability of financial markets – and more importantly, on the pensions and savings of working families. Moreover it is clear that leveraged buy outs can be bad news for jobs and working conditions. With pension funds increasingly investing in private equity and hedge funds you have the absurd situation of workers’ money being used to buy companies and make workers redundant!

    What Democrats and the PES agreed in Washington this week was to push this agenda forward in two different ways: first, to get pension funds on both sides of the Atlantic talking about... read more

    Tags: investment, PES, US elections, USA


  • Yourspace goes to the States: free trade seen through American eyes

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    Rating: 4.7/5 with 3 votes

    Published Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 17:18
    by Editor in EU in the world (383 views and 0 comments)

    Some European social democrats are shocked at US Democrats apparent hostility to free trade. Europeans fear US Democrats are becoming protectionist. But American workers blame NAFTA - the North American Free Trade Agreement – for the factory closures and job losses that have devastated US communities. And don’t forget many Americans lose healthcare when they lose their job! Americans point to the number of companies that have moved manufacturing to Mexico and other NAFTA countries with lower wages, lower safety standards and fewer workers rights.

    US Democrats talk instead of wanting ‘fair trade’ with basic labour standards and trade union rights as part of future trade agreements. This is in tune with PES ambitions to put ‘decent work’ on the agenda of the World Trade Organisation. It might take some serious talking to reach a good way forward but it could offer an opportunity to link free trade with better living and working conditions for all. read more

    Tags: decent work, fair trade, trade, US elections, USA


  • Yourspace goes to the States: a realistic agenda for US-EU cooperation

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    Published Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 14:50
    by Editor in EU in the world (405 views and 0 comments)

    A new Democrat President – Clinton or Obama – might take office at about the same time as the first-ever President of the EU and the new High EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy.

    You could almost say that President Clinton or Obama will have (what Americans have famously complained about there not being) one telephone number for the EU – at least as far as EU foreign policy is concerned.

    A Democrat President would be much committed than Bush – or McCain – to working with America’s allies – including in Europe.

    But while diplomacy will get a new emphasis there will be many differences to deal with. Some Americans accuse Europe of getting a ‘free ride’ on costly and difficult military interventions – such as the international force in Afghanistan. At the same time other Americans admit that Europe could make a big contribution in peace-keeping, state-building and support for civilian populations where American forces lack experience and capacity.

    An America ready to re-engage with its allies in global affairs could be good news for the UN. Global action on climate change and the Millennium Development Goals could receive a big boost. PES President Poul Nyrup...

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    Tags: cooperation, PES, USA


  • Yourspace goes to the States: the end of the conservative era in America?

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    Rating: 4.5/5 with 4 votes

    Published Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 15:06
    by Editor in EU in the world (344 views and 1 comments)

    PES president Poul Nyrup Rasmussen is in New York and shares his impressions from SuperTuesday – right after the close of polls yesterday:

    "I see a new pride in being progressive. The Democrats are attracting a new generation into politics. The numbers taking part in Democratic primaries is massively up, while the numbers involved in Republican primaries is down."

    "Whoever wins the Democratic nomination still has a fight to beat the Republicans but I sense a hunger for change."

    Read the full press release here read more

    Tags: US elections, USA


  • Yourspace goes to the States: Europe should listen to the American healthcare debate

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    Published Tuesday, February 5, 2008 at 23:45
    by Editor in EU in the world (465 views and 0 comments)

    It’s tempting to think we Europeans have nothing to learn from the American debate about healthcare – after all, we have had more-or-less universal healthcare for years. But we should be smarter than that; it’s more than the US catching up with us.

    The significance for us of the healthcare debate is that the Democrats – and American voters – are standing up for social protection. There is a growing confidence in being progressive. The Democrats are energized and mobilizing people who have never been engaged in politics before.

    One consequence of universal healthcare would be that workers would not be dependent on the diminishing number of employers providing health insurance – making them more willing to move jobs. So by providing universal healthcare working families would be less nervous of change – and more able to cope with globalization.

    The Democrats also see a bigger role for the public sector – which is why they need to roll back tax cuts for the wealthy. The Democrats are creating – and responding to - a growing hunger for basic decency for all in living and working conditions.

    We in Europe can be inspired by this. We socialists and social democrats know that a society that provides good social protection, and helps everyone to participate in society, will also be a more economically competitive society. We know this from European social democracies like Sweden. But... read more

    Tags: health, public services, US elections, USA


  • Yourspace goes to the States: it's still the economy stupid!

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    Published Tuesday, February 5, 2008 at 09:42
    by Editor in EU in the world (394 views and 0 comments)

    Almost four in ten Americans say the economy and jobs is the number one issue in the presidential campaign - up ten per cent in the last three weeks and now twice as many as cite Iraq as the top issue.

    Six in ten Americans believe the US economy is in recession. And Europe is in the same boat.... economic gloom in the USA is matched in Europe with estimates of an economic slowdown. The interesting thing - a small silver lining to the cloud of threatening recession - is that Americans are talking about investing in growth, like the PES has been saying for years, and in contrast to the prevailing conservative economic view that says the market will sort itself out without intervention.

    Democrats want to invest not in tax cuts for the rich but in health care and renewable energies. Together Democrats in the US and social democrats in Europe can make new thinking about creating in jobs and growth. It's a chance to change the prevailing leave-it-all to-the-market orthodoxy.

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    Tags: investment, US elections, USA


  • Yourspace goes to the States: Yourspace has landed!

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    Rating: 4.6/5 with 5 votes

    Published Monday, February 4, 2008 at 17:11
    by Editor in EU in the world (522 views and 1 comments)

    America is gripped by SuperTuesday. And so they should be.

    Two years ago it would have been impossible to imagine that the main contenders for the President of the USA would be a woman and a black man. Today all America is talking about Clinton versus Obama.

    The Republican race is simply not stirring the same excitement, although the fact that many conservatives are saying that McCain is not conservative enough is evidence that American politics is moving back to the centre. Polls suggest that John McCain may be confirmed as the Republican candidate after SuperTuesday. No such likelihood for the Democrats....

    Both Clinton and Obama represent huge change from the Bush era. And this is what excites European socialists too. But the focus State-side is not really on policy - both Democratic candidates agree on ending the war in Iraq, extending health care to the millions who go without, and getting America's act together on climate change. The thrill is in the narrowing gap between the two contenders, the fact that Obama is an almost total newcomer to national politics, and the fact that Hillary is a Clinton - with everything that people love or hate about Bill and Hillary herself. It's a fascinating race that fills progressives with hope.

    In the next few days Yourspace will be...

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    Tags: PES, US elections, USA


  • Next week Yourspace goes to the States

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    Published Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 15:35
    by Editor in EU in the world (628 views and 4 comments)

    From Monday February 4 to Friday February 8 PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen leads a European Socialist delegation to Washington and New York to meet leading US Democrats.

    He will be there on ‘SuperTuesday’ when 22 states choose between Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards for their candidate for the Presidential elections.

    Next week might be a turning point in American history – and you’ll be in front row for news! Yourspace will be blogging from the delegation and answering your questions. What is on the Democrats’ policy agenda – and what will it mean for the PES and our manifesto for the 2009 European elections? What are the prospects for the PES and US Democrats to make the world a better place? Yourspace will put your questions to members of the delegation, and report back on issues you raise – just put your question in a comment to this post.

    The PES President will be joined by Romanian Social Democrat Leader Mircea Geoana, former Swedish Finance Minister Par Nuder, Norwegian ViceFinance Minister Geir Axlesen, Norwegian Secretary of State for Defence Espen Barth Eide and Socialist Members of the European Parliament including Pervenche Beres, Harlem Desir, Ieke van den Burg, Jan Marinus Wiersma, Stavros Lambrinidis and Lapo Pistelli. read more

    Tags: PES, US elections, USA


  • Les frontières de l'Union Européenne

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    Rating: 4/5 with 4 votes

    Published Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 09:53
    by Christian Casenave in EU in the world (703 views and 1 comments)

    Nous avons besoin d'élargir nos réflexions sur les frontières pertinentes de l'Union Européenne, qui a vocation à coopérer avec tous les continents de notre monde multipolaire. Après la chute du mur de Berlin, l'élargissement à l'est a été un grand succès et comme il n'est pas réaliste d'ouvrir les frontières vers le nord, ni vers le sud, pourquoi ne pas envisager un élargissement à l'ouest, vers les Antilles, le Canada, les Etats-Unis d'Amérique ? Une Union Européenne à l'échelle de l'Occident pourrait développer des relations plus ambitieuses et efficaces avec l'Inde, la Chine, sur le plan culturel, politique, économique et social, en relation étroite avec l'ONU; elle serait mieux préparée, aussi, à l'encadrement politique de l'OTAN. read more

    Tags: UN, USA


  • Should Europe follow in the footsteps of Al Gore?

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    Rating: 5/5 with 3 votes

    Published Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 11:01
    by Editor in Save our planet (772 views and 2 comments)

    Al Gore and the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change."

    According to the Committee Chairman, "a peace price is a positive message and support to all fighting for peace in the world." The award highlights the potential of climate change to cause conflict between nations - and the potentially transforming impact of the co-operation needed between nations to tackle this challenge. Is encouraging international collaboration to fight climate change the EU's next big task?

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    Tags: climate change, environment, globalization, USA


  • Anti Missile Shield in Europe: More of an insecurity provider?

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    Rating: 4.2/5 with 5 votes

    Published Friday, October 12, 2007 at 10:22
    by Editor in EU in the world (880 views and 3 comments)

    Minimum wagesThe United States plan to build an anti missile shield in Europe has been at the centre of a heated debate ever since the defense strategy was first proposed. The White House has invited Poland and the Czech Republic to deploy a shield that will counter long range missile threats from states with weapons of mass destruction.

    The defense system has sparked intense debate among the European Union, the United States and Russia. According to opponents, it creates division, destabilizes regional and international balances of power and weakens international efforts to disarm. An even bigger concern is that the missile shield could trigger a new arms race in Europe or create tensions with other nuclear powers.

    The missile shield raises many issues in relation to European security. It will protect several EU states, but definitely not all. Right now the US is seeking to negotiate with Poland and the Czech Republic on a matter that concers the security of many other European countries. Who should have the ultimate say on this issue; the countries hosting the missile shield or all countries concerned by it? Should the defense programme be discussed within the EU - or in an even more international forum, NATO, since Russia is also concerned...

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    Tags: defence, disarmement, security, USA


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