GERMANY

GERMANY
Frankfurter Rundschau, Frankfurt, July 15: For six years, Tony Blair stood unchallenged at the helm. For six years, he dominated British politics. Now, in his seventh year, he is all at sea without a nautical chart.
His New Labor cruiser is rolling in the waves and appears to have gone off course. The crew is complaining; the passengers are looking at each other and the lights have gone out in the ballroom.
Can this captain, whose capabilities are admired by many, steer his ship to new and unknown shores? Or is he steering all hands on board toward his own personal iceberg?
The fact that such doubts are now being expressed in London speaks volumes.
Skepticism
The good times are over for the Labor prime minister. The confidence that a majority of the population had in him has gone -- skepticism, criticism and rejection have chased away the approval he used to enjoy. Former supporters are even calling for Blair's removal.
The premier is trying hard to win back his lost authority.
The boyish smile no longer convinces his compatriots, and appearances with George W. Bush or with "progressive heads of state" no longer confer automatic respectability.
Blair promised Britons "results" -- better public services, better hospitals, better schools, better transport. So the people who voted for Blair want to see results.
DENMARK
Politiken, Copenhagen, July 15: Denmark, on France and Germany not sending troops to Iraq:
Not even good European intentions can help the Americans. It is a fact that NATO is sending 5,5000 troops on peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan next month. There, there are already French and German troops and the two countries also have units on the Balkans. France has troops in the Ivory Coast and leads, on behalf of the European Union, a peacekeeping mission in Congo.
Just say no
So French and German troops are sold out and France and Germany can with a good conscience reject American wishes of sending troops to Iraq.
FINLAND
Helsingin Sanomat, Helsinki, July 15: The men and women on the 25-member governing council are relatively unknown to many Iraqis and at this stage don't inspire much confidence at grass-roots level. The majority, 16 of them, lived outside the influence of Saddam's regime with seven in the autonomous Kurd region while nine were overseas. Some council members earned their position in the corridors of power in Washington or London, others through the barrel of a gun during the military conflict against Saddam.
Iraq's future
From the viewpoint of Iraq's future it is imperative that religious, ethnic or regional differences no longer erupt into schisms that split the country and finally end up in hostilities.