mr president during the debate on this resolution we saw once again the way in which this house elevates the virtual over the real the symbolic over the actual
there was all this talk about the need to put an eu flag on aid to haiti and about the need to establish the principle of a european civil protection force
baroness ashton came in for a lot of criticism for not having been there to put a european face on things
meanwhile of course the americans were delivering real aid in the most extraordinarily swift manner
and what thanks did they get
they were accused by a french minister of having occupied the country
neatly we see how the american's place is always in the wrong in this house
if he intervenes he is imperialist
if he does not he is isolationist
i would just stand back and ask whether the european union does not have rather more pressing concerns closer to home than whether it puts flags on things in the caribbean
greece is on the verge of fiscal collapse
we are about to mandate a bail-out in plain violation of article one hundred and twenty-five of the treaties
when we have put our own house in order then perhaps we will be in a position to lecture others
