If you haven't read Der Spiegel's interview with Javier Solana, I recommend you do Read it here. And, as author Constance E. Cumbey suggests on our discussion board, read it "SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY."

What struck me was how the Spiegel interviewer got right to the heart of things by asking Solana about his power. He asked:

Mr. Solana, when the EU constitution comes into effect you will become the first European foreign minister. Does this future status already provide the EU's current High Representative for foreign policy with noticeably more influence on the international stage?

And, the following question is along the same line. The interviewer asks Solana about his powerful new European foreign service agency. Then, Spiegel brings up an interesting bit of information. Evidently, José Manuel Durão Barroso, the new Commission president, feels threatened by Solana's new agency. The interviewer states:

José Manuel Durão Barroso doesn't seem to be in that much of a hurry. He is worried about his commission losing influence if a new, large agency develops alongside it.

I thought about the news that Barroso's Commission was just rejected by the EU Parliament. This means, Barroso's Commission will not be up and running in November as planned Read about it here. So, Romano Prodi's old Commission will be held over in skeleton form. In other words, once again the cat will be away and the mice can play.

In the meantime, it appears the United States will be going through another close election -- like the one in 2000 when Recommendation 666 was implemented. Some are even predicting America could have no president until all the nasty court battles are over. Now, not only will the cat be away, so too, will the neighborhood pit bull.

This Spiegel interviewer said three more things I'd like to point out. He said:

Money is a key tool in any foreign policy. Will the European foreign minister have a thick wallet? ... You will be the West's only foreign minister who can deploy troops ... your position as foreign minister is unique.

Friends, think about it: When has a simple foreign minister ever had a global foreign service agency, a big wallet and the authority to deploy troops?

If you're not thinking about, Der Spiegel is.