France Calls for Urgent Meeting of EU Foreign Ministers

[rodbarnett]

PARIS (AP) - France on Monday called for an urgent meeting of European Union foreign ministers, saying it was crucial for the EU to react to the attacks against Madrid with vigilance and unity.

"It is essential that we regroup and that we coordinate, and that is what Europe must do," Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin told RTL radio, amid increasing concerns that the Madrid attacks which killed 201 people were the work of Islamic extremists.

<snip>

De Villepin said that no country should consider itself safe from terrorism.

"We must be mobilized," de Villepin said. "Vigilance is essential."

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAKA14GURD.html

[jamesinca]

1. He is correct

I think Howard Dean said a similar thing on MTP yesterday. He said something like; I am not against fighting a war against terrorist, I just don't think that Iraq has anything to do with it. France and Europe is saying the same thing essentially. Spain basically has a new government and France wants the EU to unite in helping the continent in the fight on terror, notice it is not Iraq being mentioned.

[leesa]

10. A war against terrorism is nonsense...the more you bomb, the more

"terrorists" you create.

[phoebe]

2. this is just another desperate attempt to amplify the fear mongering

in order to get the public to "rely" on their governments. What a load of crap..

[Flagg]

3. What a load of crap..

say that to the family of the 200 dead in Madrid

[Just Me]

4. I'm not so sure about that,...

It seems to me that they are uniting to exercise the kind of international policing necessary to address the problem (rather than warring against whole countries).

I believe what many people fail to comprehend is that both the * administration and aQ seek to perpetuate their wars: the * administration's perpetual "war against terror" (and invasion of the ME) and the aQ's world-wide "holy war". They actually feed one another's endeavors for a world war.

Whereas, the EU and other countries around the world recognize that strong international alliance is the only way to combat this problem.

[KoKo]

5. Agree, "Just Me." We need a referee or third force between BFEE/AQ

because if Bush by some miracle got re-elected the whole world could be in chaos. Even if Kerry is elected, the mess the Bushies have made will take years to sort out.

I think this is a good sign.

[phoebe]

6. I am just considering the source of the directive. If it were Germany

then I might be a little more inclined to believe it even though I am well aware that France shares its border with Spain. ETA cannot be used as an excuse because the French Basque population has been far less vocal and violent in their quest for any autonomy.

I would also have to say that the role of the French government in the coup d'etat of Haiti has set some alarm bells off in my head. All of a sudden the French government is closer to the US government than they have been in months and the fact that * warned Spain hours after the elections and so now, suddenly France has become the watchdog for European terrorism?

I would also add that the headscarf ban hasn't made for any good press in the Muslim communities so how does that equate with this new stance? It doesn't add up to any "real" concern in my view.

[KoKo]

9. Haiti was a "flag" but who knows if the French hadn't gotten involved,

Shrub/Cheney would have sent Aristede to Gitmo or had him assassinated rather than "exiled."

We don't know what they would have done on their own. I'm not apologizing for the French and don't like the "headscarf" ban, either.

But, they are not totally in Chimpy's bed, and we don't know what has gone on behind the scene with Haiti, but we suspect it suited the Bushies to remove Aristede and their way is usually the brutal way.

[Barkley]

7. France has been pushing for a EU military force separate from NATO

ever since the Iraq war.

And I don't blame 'em!

The Spanish bombings and Socialist election have
brought the EU closer together as unit.

I hope the New Spanish PM responds positively to this news.

[Name removed]

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