The Axis of Cowardice

Today I caught wind of news that the Hungarian Prime Minister, Ferenc Gyurcsany, will be making a visit very soon to visit “Il Professore” Romano Prodi in Italy.

Is Romano Prodi Afraid of Russia?

If only Gerhard Schroeder were invited, then we would truly have the complete “Axis of Cowardice” in full attendance. Naturally I am referring to the deliberate decision making by these three heads of state which have derailed European energy security, encouraged and benefitted from Russian energy imperialism, and have made an EU consensus on Russia policy nearly impossible. The most recent Hungarian contribution is of course the endorsement of the Russia-favored Blue Stream pipeline, which is believed to have more or less buried the Nabucco project, which would have helped Europe diversify its suppliers. During my recent trip to Budapest, I heard a lot of very interesting rumors regarding possible shareholdings by government officials in MOL (the Hungarian partner of Gazprom in the project) and a possible major merger, which of course would cast this Blue Stream decision in a decidedly different light. Will Europe really put up with another Gerhard Schroeder-style maneuver of using public office for massive private gain at the cost of the Union’s security? Ferenc Gyurcsany opposition in Hungary, the Fidesz party, certainly seems alert to the threat, denouncing the PM’s decision to turn Hungary into “Gazprom’s most cheerful barracks.”