Nick Clegg and the 3 am phone call

General Zod

Easy, you just use his first name. That makes people love you. Nick would just call Ahmedinejad and say, "Mahmoud, we'd really like you to stop your nuclear programme, please" and the loony, Hidden Mahdi acolyte would stop.

Holly ......

So Clegg will distance himself from the US,get rid of trident,join Europe and talk nice to Iran.
Power the country on wind,let out convicted criminals,give an amnesty to immigrants,
stop short term sentences,raise the tax allowance to £10k,scrap student fees,tax people on higher incomes would be taxed on their private pensions,thus costing the taxpayer more in the long run...etc,etc etc.
When Clegg talked about 'change' he was not bloody joking.
Some eight year olds did a similar project a few years back?

denverthen

He would appease. That's what social democrats and people with no beliefs or genuine historical perspective generally advocate.

Whatever the motives, however, this is just one more reason why this man must never be prime minister - or get to choose who is.

djw2009

>>>Compared to many CoffeeHousers, I don’t find the Liberal Democrat’s foreign policy positions as problematic.

Yeah - don't we know it. Every single one of your blog posts is about how the interest of the UK should be traduced in favour of your globalist transnationalism. That Fraser would have you working on his staff is simply a disgrace.

Valerunner

Even if someone does ask the question it won't make any difference to the 10% of voters who turned Libdem solely on the basis of his message of 'change' on Thursday - policy is too complicated for them.

oldrightie

Well he won't be praying to The Almighty, that's for sure.

Paul B

I like you Daniel. I enjoy your persistence on here despite all the slings and arrows you receive. This is a good article and I agree. Cleggs position is weak. Its also legitimate to ask Clegg, (putting aside Israel for a moment)if he does not replace Trident, how does he protect us (GB) from a nuclear armed Iran or anyone else? He can`t, unless he relies on the Americans or the French (God forbid). His position is morally bankrupt. Trident has to be replaced,its a price we have to pay. To all those who whine about the money could be better spent elsewhere, they have to realise, there wouldn`t be an elsewhere without a MAD policy that Trident guarantees.

Right On

I'm not sure the 3am analogy works. The Clinton campaign used it against Obama because both Clinton and (the then presumptive Republican nominee)John McCain were considered to be heavyweights in international affairs and Obama wasn't.

Not sure the same comparison applies with Clegg, Cameron & Brown.

HFC

Just another example of the 'We can be anything you want us to be' hypocrisy of the two-faced LibDums.

Will

Iran has the bomb. The time for talking is over. Now call it extreme if you like, but I propose we hit it hard and we hit it fast, with a major, and I mean major, leaflet campaign.

Joe

Although the other two parties might not have ruled out military action in their manifesto, in practice Iran know this isn't an option for us anyway because our troops are already badly overstretched. Nick Clegg is being quite honest about the situation in saying that sanctions and talks are the only options available.

Rhoda Klapp

Call Baroness Ashton, of course, what else is he allowed to do?

Noa Zrk

Excellent point Mr Korski.

Given the Arab approach in such matters I assume Nicky and Vince would be happy to draw upon the ample stock of sandals in the LimpDim arsenal and them at Achmadinnajacket.

steve

It would appear that Mr Clegg has the unique political ability to be able to look into the future with clarity. Great Britain is currently a small island off the north coast of Europe. Rulling out the posibility of invading or attacking Iran may seem radical in the context of the current way of thinking, but one thing is for sure. It is a very rational proposition for country with no real power in the world. (What should we do to attack Iran...throw our debt mountain at them and hope it hurts)

The question is whether you can retain your patriotism and pride in your country's history whilst at the same time realising that your time as a world leader is finished. I can.

I agree with Nick.

Vulture

The reason the Lib Dems don't have a foreign policy that anyone knows abt ( except wonks like you, Daniel) is that no-one in their right minds ever thought they would ever get near getting their Alpaca-wool mittened hands anywhere near the levers of power.

The fact that they may actually do so shows to what a low level this X-Factored country has sunk.

Cloggie doesn't know what to do abt Iran. But neither does anyone else. Except perhaps Israel. If Binnie bombs them nukes stand by for hypocritical bleats from every world leader ( especially the Arabs who hate Iran)- who will all, however, be secretly delighted.

Snowman

Daniel, if it were to come to a crunch, Cleggie’s stance would matter about as much as yours or mine. I would bet though that he will oppose it, as he did the invasion of Iran.

What your post highlights perhaps unintentionally and quite well once again is the sameness of the foreign policy of the three parties; the election will be about personalities rather than policies, not unlike the elections in the former Red Menace empire and its satellites. No bloody choice, and we believe we live in a mature democracy.

denis cooper

Daniel, I guess that Clegg would do what you would prefer to do: have private consultations with his EU colleagues so they could decide their common position.

(Under the present treaties by majority voting on the Council, but still unanimity if the matter is referred up to the European Council at the insistence of at least one member state - see Article 31 TEU as amended by Lisbon.)

Then when it was pointed out that the Catherine Ashton was being sent naked into the conference room* - not a image on which one cares to linger - say that this shows that the EU must speed up its military integration and must move quickly to acquire its own nuclear deterrent, and set about drafting the necessary treaty amendments.

The timescale envisaged by the then German Foreign Minister in January 2007 would be too long:

https://www.allianz.com/en/press/news/commitment_news/community/news_2007-01-15.html

"In his closing remarks, Steinmeier noted there is much work to be done, conceding that visions for Europe are projects that will take up the next 20 to 30 years and citing a future European army as an example. He also noted that this century could well see the disappearance of national foreign ministers, that the "German foreign minister" is probably a dying breed."

So doubts about X or Y might do if he became the British Foreign Secretary would then no longer be such a great concern, and you'd be a happier man.

* Trying to check my memory of that phrase, originally from Ernest Bevin I believe, I came across this:

http://www.fedtrust.co.uk/uploads/Unifying_Europe_2.pdf

and the section on defence is interesting, as are the lists of those involved with the Federal Trust.

TrevorsDen

The point is not 'military action by ourslves' --- it is 'would we support military action'

The LDs are saying they would not support military action.

So how do they twist irans arm?

Its clear if push came to shove we do not have the resources for anything significant in hardware or boots on the ground. But thats not to say we could not choose to support action.

Clegg is a typical appeaser and would sell us down the river to the EU. That is why the Conservative Party would not let him be at the FO and if we do get a hung parliament we could not see a LibCon coalition. Since most of the country is eurosceptic its another reason to point out that the only way to secure change is to vote tory.

Voting LD will just deliver us into the hands of the EU

saddleworth

"Compared to many CoffeeHousers, I don’t find the Liberal Democrat’s foreign policy positions as problematic" - hardly anything new there then.
I do find the concept of a LibDem Foreign policy more than a little scary - be nice to everyone and hope no one notices any contradiction is really going to get us a long way.
As for the thought of him dealing in any way with Ahmidinnersbad is just about qualifies as joke of the day.
Your posts tend to show that the Speccie is losing its way along with Cameron losing basic conservatism.

JONNY

Clegg sounds very sensible realistic and sane to me.
What's the prob? Dick Cheney doesn't like it?

Cuffleyburgers

Clegg's foreign plicy has the major weakness of having been drawn up to appease the beardies, by people who never expected actually to have to answer questions on it let alone actually implement it.

His position on Iran is deeply wobbly, but basically irrelevant.

Far more worryingly, he is a disgusting federast and should never be allowed near the levers of power, such as they are left.

denis cooper

Ah, I've got it - it was Bevan, not Bevin, and "chamber" not "room".

From a speech at the Labour Party Conference, 4 October, 1957, on unilateral nuclear disarmament.

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Aneurin_Bevan

"I knew this morning that I was going to make a speech that would offend, and even hurt, many of my friends. I know that you are deeply convinced that the action you suggest is the most effective way of influencing international affairs. I am deeply convinced that you are wrong. It is therefore not a question of who is in favour of the Hydrogen bomb, but a question of what is the most effective way of getting the damn thing destroyed. It is the most difficult of all problems facing mankind. But if you carry this resolution and follow out all its implications - and do not run away from it - you will send a British Foreign Secretary, whoever he may be, naked into the conference chamber. ... And you call that statesmanship? I call it an emotional spasm."

Of course Catherine Ashton was still in nappies then, and only started to work for CND about twenty years later.

Austin Barry

The LibDems are against the application of any kind of military force in any circumstances: they are the perennial peaceniks, personified in the cowering, hamster-like, slightly furtive Sarah Teather.

TomTom

Iran a major oil state and exporting gas to China faces a supposed energy crisis and needs Nuclear Power.

Britain a major energy importer will not build nuclear power stations but rely on windmills.

Iran may be building a nuclear bomb and delivery system.

Britain will scrap its nuclear deterrent.

Maybe we should be nice to the Iranians ? They seem to be holding all the aces.

Holly ......

JONNY.12.05.
Clegg being questioned by some 'yoofs'as I type.
Sounding quite mad & getting a good old battering.No one in that room is letting Clegg off the hook.

Bartimeus

Austin , thank you , you've reminded me.

Dear Lord A

Can we have a bit more cash for a concerted push to remove Sarah Teather from parliament (and as fortunate collateral damage , question time).

If there is any other spare cash we'll mount a determined assault on Harpie and family.

Now there are two constituencies where I'd happily endorse a Conservative all women shortlist. Is Joanna Lumley available for a silk parachute ?

Raffles

Holly, your earlier post was bang on and shows just how simple it is to deflate this Clegg/Cable nonsense toute suite. Confronted with that little list, and i would love to see them contradict it, their ratings would vanish as fast as they appeared and the beardy weirdy rump would be all that they could count on. Come on Tories, get on the case!

2trueblue

Trevors Den, Clegg has already delivered us the Lisbon Treaty by voting with Liebore, so the damage has been done. It was an opportunity for all of us to look at the EU in a rational way and have our say. That moment has now passed. Offering us an IN/OUT is worthless. We need to renegotiate our terms and stop propping up the CAP which is one of the real problems. Europe like Liebore have promised us that they would renegotiate the CAP budget, yes, and what did they do. Took our rebate and ignore their part of the deal. Whoever gets in should reinstate the rebate until and when the renegotiation has been completed. THe other option is not to pay up.

Daniel, I am amazed that you think that Clegg has more experience in the foreign policy/international arena. Where/when did he acquire such expertise? The fact that he has had an international upbringing qualifies him for nothing. He has held junior roles in the EU and so far has escaped scrutiny of any sort. ANy let me know what great expertise he has, I am now vaguely interested.

JONNY

Holly I agree with you
Clegg would be a disaster right across the policy board.
And here and now, like an over-hyped experimental new airliner should be tested to breaking point.
But as far as Iran goes - we're not going to attack (not with Obama anyway)
so why pretend we will.
Realpolitik as they used to put it.

Raffles

Jonny, i have a "rhetorical" grand that says Israel make some sort of surgical strike by the end of the year.

Ahiata

"Nick Clegg is smart, internationalist and has – unlike David Cameron and Gordon Brown (and Tony Blair) – plenty of foreign policy pre-leadership experience."

Based on what? His ski instructor job?

Osred

Daniel,

'Military overstretch' is a complete red herring. Military action against Iran's nuclear enrichment and weaponising facilities will not involve troops on the ground.

We have had international 'action' for years in public and behind the scenes which have got nowhere. The bullet will have to be bitten but your beloved EU will be the last to get involved except to encourage more mediation as Iran continues on its way.

And. Shame on you for bringing up Israel. Israel is NOT responsible for Iran's actions. Goebbels and the Big Lie(s) over and over and over again. Iran are enriching uranium because of Gaza? - disgusting.

Enlisting or appealing to the anti-semitic constituency is an ignoble way to further an Iranian discussion (or in your case smokescreen).

Shame on you and your Eurolies.