So the text of the treaty will be pushed through parliaments with no time for discussion and debate. Nicolas Sarkozy himself told right-wing Euro MPs that if there were referendums on the Lisbon Treaty, they would be lost; if the French voted, they would again vote 'No'. Under no circumstances should citizens be allowed referendums (and Ireland made a huge mistake in making them compulsory).
Don't make the mistake of letting people actually read a clear text. The Lisbon Treaty is what you get, like it or not, although we can't actually give you a copy of it – just five or six separate documents, protocols and declarations that you can spend the next few years collating and cross-referencing to your heart's content. Oh yes – and we've got just the man to lead the new Europe that this treaty intends to force upon you: Tony Blair.
He's perfect for the job. We can count on him to promote 'a more assertive Union role in security and defence matters [which] will contribute to the vitality of a renewed Atlantic Alliance'. And he will make sure that Europe 'respects the obligations under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which remains the foundation of the collective defence of its members', according to Protocol 4 of the treaty (which, like the other protocols and declarations has the same legal force as the treaty and supersedes national law).
We don't know what Nato's future policies will be and are signing on blindfolded. But we do know that the US will continue to lead it and that the US president will be its de facto commander in chief. Who better than Blair to polish the commander's medals and shine his [or her] shoes?
The EU is terrific on market-oriented policies as well, and that can only be to Blair's satisfaction. In the 410 treaty articles, the 'market' rates 63 references and 'competition' is cited 25 times. 'Social progress' gets three mentions, 'full employment' one and 'unemployment' none, but you can't have everything.
Don't make the mistake of letting people actually read a clear text. The Lisbon Treaty is what you get, like it or not, although we can't actually give you a copy of it – just five or six separate documents, protocols and declarations that you can spend the next few years collating and cross-referencing to your heart's content. Oh yes – and we've got just the man to lead the new Europe that this treaty intends to force upon you: Tony Blair.
He's perfect for the job. We can count on him to promote 'a more assertive Union role in security and defence matters [which] will contribute to the vitality of a renewed Atlantic Alliance'. And he will make sure that Europe 'respects the obligations under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, which remains the foundation of the collective defence of its members', according to Protocol 4 of the treaty (which, like the other protocols and declarations has the same legal force as the treaty and supersedes national law).
We don't know what Nato's future policies will be and are signing on blindfolded. But we do know that the US will continue to lead it and that the US president will be its de facto commander in chief. Who better than Blair to polish the commander's medals and shine his [or her] shoes?
The EU is terrific on market-oriented policies as well, and that can only be to Blair's satisfaction. In the 410 treaty articles, the 'market' rates 63 references and 'competition' is cited 25 times. 'Social progress' gets three mentions, 'full employment' one and 'unemployment' none, but you can't have everything.
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