Tony Blair is picking fights all over Europe

In case anyone hasn't noticed, Anglo-Continental relations are hurting in the wake of France's rejection of the EU constitution. Blair has been jetting all over--Moscow, Paris, Berlin--and doing things like avoiding joint press conferences with Chirac. My favorite episode, though (and a most telling one) is described in this article. To make an important visit to Berlin and to meet first with Angela Merkel, the likely CDU candidate for Chancellor in the upcoming elections, before seeing Herr Schroeder is quite the statement. Sounds like Merkel did not let a golden opportunity pass her by...