Final Word from Thursday, March 6, 2008
It's hard to blame ČSSD Chair Jiří Paroubek for getting all bent out of shape about the idea that some of his MPs might cross the aisle and support ODS's radar plans. It's becoming a tradition under PM Mirek Topolánek that when words alone are not enough to win majority support for a crucial decision, a few meek MPs who want to inherit the earth are found. Three such enlightened souls have been converted so far, and with Raytheon radar contractor stepping up its campaign in Prague, Paroubek rightly understands which direction things could be heading. It's not the threat of a long-range missile strike or the Nato summit in April that is rapidly bringing the radar preparations to a head; it's the risk that the next U.S. president or an election-minded Congress could cancel or delay the project. Raytheon, in this sense, is guiding Czech foreign policy more than any trigger-happy rogue state. [Czech Republic X-Band United States of America missile-defense]
Glossary of difficult words
Raytheon - large U.S. defense contractor;
to get all bent out of shape - (informal) to become angry or agitated;
to cross the aisle - to cross party lines to support a proposal;
meek - quiet, gentle and easily imposed upon; submissive;
meek MPs - the three MPs in question were nearly unknown by the public before they became famous for switching sides;
enlightened - spiritually aware;
trigger-happy - ready to react violently on the slightest provocation;
rogue state - a country considered a threat because it might react in an unpredictable, violent way, such as Iran.