Very little is really know about the inner workings of the US-EU relationship and the corporate media only serves us the official and completely meaningless propaganda line. During the war in Korea, General MacArthur's insane threats to use nuclear weapons did trigger something of an European revolt (unlike the US, Europe was well within reach of Soviet bombers, including those with nuclear weapons). Could the absolute insanity of what is taking place in the Ukraine also trigger a European awakening? Could the European elites ever find it in themselves to stand up to the almighty Uncle Sam?
Check out the short article below which, I think, is an amazing illustration of the real nature of the US-EU relationship.
This article was translated from French into English by the same wonderful people who are the editors of vineyardsaker.fr, the French-language "mirror+" ("plus" because it has more than just translations of what is posted here). To them, yet again, I owe a big "merci les amis!".
Kind regards,
The Saker
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The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: negotiations between Brussels and Washington
The following information refers to the way in which the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) is being negotiated between Brussels and Washington. We use the term “Brussels” because indeed, it is being negotiated between the European Commission and the United States, not between the member states and the United States. The latter is currently imposing a non-disclosure of the proposition negotiations to the member states, under the pretense that the federal government of the United States does not disclose the European propositions to the individual governments of its federated states.
The only way by which the European Commission has shared these propositions with its member states has been inacceptable: through “documents reserve rooms” where individuals can consult the American files, on the payment of a fee and within a strict set of regulations: no copying, photography, or writing instruments are allowed in the room. Only two individuals are allowed in the reserve room at once, and for a limited time.
Under these conditions, the administrative services of the member states will not have the capacity to analyze the American proposition: despite a maximum capacity to “screen” the information made available, one administration at a time, too many of the weak links will remain overlooked: no one is immune from missing the important lines, placed where they are least expected it or purposefully hidden, which may produce serious risks for either our exportation practices, or in terms of importation.
Up to now it was assumed that, even if individual citizens could not participate in the negotiation processes, the interests of each member state would be defended through the analytical work of each ministry on their particular register of issues. The rigidity of the US on the question of confidentiality leaves all decision taking to the European Commission; when one looks upon the results on display in Canada, it’s very concerning.
Besides, the operative argument shows that the United States have not understood the structure of the European Union: how can we negotiate under such conditions, when they are projecting their institutional reality upon us?
We need to alert the general public about these procedures of negotiations, which are much more serious than the non-communication of the mandate (which was negotiated by the member states after an analysis by the services of each state).
Europeans have no idea to what extent they are being colonized, in the strict sense of the word, by the United States. This information should be disseminated as broadly as possible, as it is eye-opening. Even if it is probably already too late...
Jean-Paul Baquiast
www.europesolidaire.eu
