Lousy Chocolate Makers [View All]

[reachout]

It's getting the point that I'm having trouble distinguishing between real articles about the Bush administration and parodies from The Onion. Is this a bad sign?



US derides 'chocolate makers' for EU military headquarters plans


WASHINGTON - The United States sneered at plans by four European countries to create an autonomous European military command headquarters near Brussels separate from NATO referring to the idea's proponents as "chocolate makers."


In unusually blunt language that drew surprised gasps from reporters, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher scoffed at Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg for continuing to support the proposal that they first introduced at a mini-summit in April.


He described the April meeting as one between "four countries that got together and had a little bitty summit" and then referred to them collectively as "the chocolate makers."


The derisive phrase appeared to target mainly Belgium, which is known for its high quality chocolate confections, and on Tuesday reiterated its support for the new headquarters.


After reflecting on his comments, Boucher immediately stood back, explaining that he had seen the phrase in press reports and saying that he should not have repeated them.


At the same time, though, he repeated US opposition to the plan first outlined by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who called the creation of a new European military headquarters "unnecessary" shortly after it was proposed.


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