How is this section called "Charlemagne?" It's an insult to one of Europe's most important Middle Age King's. They should just call it "Thatcher" and get it over with. That way the name would actually reflect the opinions of the section.

Whats the matter?

The truth hurts doesn't it - the journalist is reporting the facts as it happened and European foreign ministers don't come out looking good, so why shoot the messenger?

If on the other hand the journalist had lied and misrepresentated the facts, please fee free to point them out and than you have every right to object to the article.

Quite brilliant! I don't know who Charlemagne is, but it's one of the few souces that demistifies the stultified and stupid rethoric of EU politicians and Brussels bigwigs

So the best way to do foreign policy is to meddle in everyones affairs with the highest voice while things crumble at home then?

top score to the British foreign minister who no one even knows the name of and Hillary Clinton. Surely... Standard economist policy.

In the name of reality we should stay out of these countries internal affairs and let them develop naturally.

For once, Sherry I agree with you.

Dear Charlemagne - surely Mr. Frattini deserves the "gold" for his stunning backflips, no? :-)

I think Carl Bildt's Italian wife, Anna Maria Corazza, probably advised him not to tolerate rubbish from this clown of Berlusconi's.

When are we going to see action?

I think Charlemagne should have added a point for the EU as a whole : this would have granted the equivalent of a "F" mark to Mrs Ashton/Van Rompuy for trying their best to delay with the result that the EU ministers are due to meet on the 11th to decide on a common response! On the 11th, I expect there will be 500000 refugees fleeing Libya ! Why not wait till the summer ?

Brilliant

There is urgent need for coherent EU/US policy and action to stop the delusional tyrant Muammar Qaddafi and his cohort from perpetrating calculated crimes against humanity in Libya. It's ironic how silent the autocratic members of the African Union have been as the wave of revolution sweeps across the the continent. Dictators south of the Sahara are on notice, their day of reckoning is near.

Blogger Tim Hart is a romantic blinded by his love; only that his object of infatuation is continental Europe and its inability to do wrong.

Anyone who dares to suggest otherwise is Margaret Thatcher.

Getting away from the mock-olympics viewpoint into the real world, just what should other countries do? What can they do?

Turkey has made a relevant remark: if Western countries try to intervene (ie militarily) then Arab countries will see this as a move to safeguard needed oil production. Meanwhile, it is useful to note that Gaddafi has what is reputed to be a nuclear-proof headquarters in, or near, Tripoli.

He also has some of the most sophisticated weaponry that the US has sold to any other nation. This weaponry is in the hands of highly-trained special-guard troops, drawn from his own Gaddafa tribe. Other Army units are carefully made up of a mix of tribal men. Whilst many of these latter have deserted Gaddafi and are still doing so, their weaponry is (deliberately) of a lower class.

Events in North Africa have shown how out-of-touch and out-of-date is Western intelligence. Whilst they might claim to be less blameworthy for not having seen revolutionary events (even the Muslim Brotherhood did not foresee them), their on-the-ground understanding of the realities (who's who, what's where, etc) is a major fault.

I agree with Tim Hard, the name of this section is not appropriate. How can we take it seriously if it is always the bad sides of Europe that are reported?
In a gymnastic amateur event, people are at least trying to achieve something. What are the achievements of this section? What is its contribution to the European project?

@Joe Solaris

The Egyptians should do something.

They have a million Egyptian nationals inside Libya.

What good has all those billions of US aid to Egypt's military done if they can't use it for a good cause?

"A silver medal, for an uneven performance salvaged by considerable artistic flair"

oh that scraped your mouth for being forced to acknowledge sumthin from France

ach Ja

Westerwelle is much more realist and moral, sure

"Tunisia, Egypt and now Libya: The Arab revolution has taken German and European foreign policy makers by surprise. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle have yet to adopt a clear stance on the crisis.

Back then, there was neither a concrete plan nor a strategy. Politicians muddled their way through but the outcome, fortunately, was a success."

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,747319,00.html

German politicians were LIKE THE OTHERS !

Mr Charlemagne would be well inspired to read this article

http://www.slate.com/id/2286728/?from=rss

so, there is a compet on who is the less moral politician, and who wins the jackpot?

Tribal disputes in Libya are restricted in their use of weapons. In more serious disputes pickup trucks armed with men carrying automatic weapons are used. But it is unthinkable to use tanks or planes to kill fellow countrymen. Those weapons are reserved to defend the nation against foreign invaders. The civil war in Libya will be fought with hundreds of autos and pickup trucks crashing into each other, it will look like a demolition derby.

There is popular anecdot:

Condoleeza Rice told Mr. Bush about crime and dictatorship in Zimbabwe, that president Robert Mugabe killing thousand people a year who are against his regime. Condoleeza Rice insisted that Zimbabwe need democracy

But mr. Bush asked Condoleeza Has Zimbabwe big oil reserves?

Condoleeza answered no

Bush said: In this case they don't need Democracy.

This anecdot happening in real life.

Why USA don't try promote democracy in real tyrany countries like Zimbabwe or disastrous pirates country Somali and other african countries?

the answer is why there is no interest .... USA will have only military expenses in those countries

But Libya is another case because it produce 1.7 million ballers oil a day....so in a year it would be 60-70 bilion $ .

It is better to promote Democracy in libya and occupy this country and USA can earn 30 billion $ each year. All the military expenses will be compensated 10 times in several years.

for the last 3-4 years Libya did a lot to develop his economy and infrastructure and GDP per person is almost 15 000 $ one of the highest in developing countries....

I am sure that all this mess was organised by USA....it is CIA hired killers and partizans from other african countries in order distabilise the Libya....after that they can confidently say that all of this massacre made by president Kaddafi

The World open your eyes...just try to think more widely....don't depend on information which are prepared by dark politicians

average salary in Libya is 1000-1500 $ and most consumer goods are cheap and the main thing is price of petrolium is only 10-15 cents 7-10 times lower than other countries..

If USA starts his camapign against Libya and occupy his economy

the people of Libya will live in poverty because BIG INTeRNATIONAL companies will occupy economy and do their best to maximise profit for their shareholders but don't try to develop the life of ordinary libiyan people...

@New and brave thinking

You say exactly the same things as Gaddafi.

Could it be that these blogs have been invaded by Gaddafi & his sons in an desperate attempt to sway public opinion.

Had this happened 10 years earlier, Germany would have had an ideal man to send to Libya. Can you imagine Manfred Rommel going to Tobruk, where his father made his legend?

First of all,Charlemagne,you nickname sounds a little bit inspired by some of those who believes that Europe is their property,history of Europe their story.All this is a piece of comics that would deserve a 100£ bill to join your blog.Did you ever hear of the Greek Democracy and the Roman Empire?And Rinascimento?Or your story book begins in 1789?I also thank you for dedicating half,more or less,of this article to Italy.Let's sum up this to the second article of you on our presumed shame.In few words,you are realizing that Italy has a first class position in this crisis,while Charles and Magne count almost nothing.Thank you to both.

PRETTY interesting article but I would rather read something like:

"the level of participation of EUropean countries and America in strengthening GADHAFI GOVERMENT in all those previous years..."

I know that France and th US (among others) have sold an immense quantity of fire power, guns, airplane, tanks... to this last minute betrailed Gadhafi. Well this same fire power sold to him by all those ministers, and other wicked high places business man-politicians are the same that are killing all these people over there. WAY TO GO POLITICIANS, I AM ASHAMED OF YOU AS ALWAYS.... . .

What is hapening in Lybia is something that is beeing orchestrated by other countries politicians, beaware people for we must read between lines here.

It is sad to say but the social crisis of the world is already here and well installed, instruct ourselfs we must, the majority of politicians in the world are acting for their own social circle more and more, OPEN YOUR EYES and be carefull of what you hear and see, its not always reality or truth... sadly we are living what 50 years ago they sold us as "PROGRESS OF HUMANITY", well done, I guess the worst is to come...

lol Marie claude works for the french goverment !!
chek her out! haha

Its ok u know we live in a "free" world where opinions must flow, so go ahead defend the undefendable lol,
I m just kiding but I am sure you work for the goverment..