E.U. Willing to Help U.S. on Guantanamo because of Obama...

[cynatnite]

snip:
Foreign ministers from the 27 members of the European Union met in Brussels to discuss possible ways to resettle Guantanamo prisoners, following President Obama's pledge last week to close the detention center within a year. The session marked an about-face for the European Union, which had long refused requests from the Bush administration to give asylum or refugee status to prisoners who had been cleared for release.

snip:
"The European security agencies cooperated quite closely with the U.S. on this, much more closely than they were willing to admit early on," said Thomas Hammarberg, human rights commissioner for the Council of Europe, a 47-nation organization that serves as the continent's leading watchdog on human rights issues. "I think there is a recognition that this might be one way to undo a policy of which we aren't very proud."

snip:
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany's foreign minister, warned his counterparts in Brussels on Monday that they risked losing face with Obama -- who is vastly more popular in Europe than Bush -- if they didn't help out. "It is also a question of our credibility, of whether we support the dismantling of this American camp or not," he told reporters.

snip:
Since Obama's election, a handful of European countries have changed their minds. Portugal, Ireland and Switzerland have been among the strongest advocates. But U.S. officials don't expect them to accept more than a few inmates each.

snip:
But even lawmakers in those countries said they should try to find other ways to help, given Europe's loud opposition to the existence of Guantanamo. "We should not be in the least bit churlish, or just let the Americans stew in their own juice," said Andrew Tyrie, a member of the British Parliament from the Conservative Party. "We've got to help Obama and not get on our high horse and sound very pompous."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/01/26/ST2009012602439.html

[Idealism]

1. Just by electing this man, we have the world willingly at our feet

As opposed to Bush, who demanded nations and their people to grovel, Obama brings grace back into American government.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Can we say "Change"?

Me think so.

[Eurobabe]

3. Amazing change isn't it?

If that was Bush, Old Europe :rofl: would have said

[treestar]

4. This is the most major change

We no longer have to be that bully outsider.

[cynatnite]

5. kicking n/t