Javier Solana

The Headline reads: Barack Obama's relationship with Europe 'not living up to it's potential'.
Really? And, how's that exactly? Well, Jose Barosso, head of the European Commission, believes the U.S. should be 'reaching out' more to Europe. Climate change, the economic crisis and trade reform. Yup. They are the hot buttom issues that the U.S. and Europe disagree on...we don't really disagree on the facts though, we simply disagree on how to 'solve' the problems. Blah, blah, blah.
What caught my attention was the reference to Javier Solana. An excerpt from the article below:

"Richard Haas, head of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington think-tank, told the newspaper that the EU lacks someone of stature to negotiate with, in reference to the appointments of Herman Van Rompuy as President of the European Council and Baroness Ashton as High Representative for Foreign Affairs.

"Europe created these posts to speak for the collective as a whole. But from the perspective of many Americans, rather than building up someone of the stature of [the former Nato Secretary-General] Javier Solana, it looks as though Europe has retreated," he said."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/7891434/Barack-Obamas-relationship-with-Europe-not-living-up-to-its-potential.html

I watch Solana. I watch where he's speaking, I watch what he says when he speaks and I watch what others say about him. I am convinced Solana plays an important role, but he's flying in stealth mode.