EU Changes Tack

Henceforth they will now provide advance of any upcoming impotent hand-wringing.

EU ministers to 'deplore' Syria killings, threaten sanctions

what is a lot more serious that “expressing concern”, or even “deep concern”, I gather.

EU foreign ministers will next week step up pressure for Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to stop killing protesters and to make good on promises of reform.

Well, there goes the big surprise as far as their heavy ammunition is concerned.

And if that doesn’t do it, there’s always the magical power of Roget’s Thesaurus and their other secret weapon: the menacing Petit Larousse, or perhaps even the Langenscheidt of doom.

The EU vocabulary puts Syria on a par with Yemen, up to now seen as the most dangerous and unstable regime in the region.

This is supposed to make them seem forceful, robust, and effective.

You are asked to wear the costume they gave you and play along: