Posted on 11/17/2009 2:01:16 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Why Europe Feels Rejected by Obama By JOHN VINOCUR
Why would an American president not come to a celebration marking the fall of the Berlin Wall, and with it, the triumphant end of the Cold War — one of the high points of the United States’ and Europe’s common 20th-century history?
Whatever the exact answer — and it could be that a fatigued Barack Obama didn’t want the physical strain of a trans-Atlantic trip days before a weeklong tour of Asia — his absence from the Nov. 9 ceremonies in Germany has reinforced Europe’s fear that it has become an increasingly insignificant part of the president’s worldview.
This week offers a telling juxtaposition:
Mr. Obama, after giving Berlin a conspicuous miss, is concentrating by his presence America’s attention and future hopes on China and Asia. Virtually at the same moment, the European Union, in what’s plainly an effort to assert its relevance, will choose (with considerable difficulty and potential irrelevance) a common president and foreign minister for the first time.
Together, that’s hardly a guarantee of a warmer trans-Atlantic clasp of hands. Instead, it’s a remarkable contrast to Secretary of State James Baker’s proposal, a month after the wall fell, of a new, organic economic and political relationship between Europeans and Americans.
Now, Denis MacShane, a former British minister for Europe, who met with other Atlanticists at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Edinburgh over the weekend, describes the circumstances this way: “There’s a growing worry everywhere in Europe that we have the first U.S. president since 1945 to show no interest in what’s happening on this side of the relationship.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Europeans should count themselves as lucky.
Hey Europe, look at the bright side: He’s not Bush.
Well, why would he? Obama and Merkyl aren't exactly “BFFs”. His entire life has been spent in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Why WOULD he care deeply about the Europeans (who as far as he is concerned are the reason his extended family members on his father's and stepfather's side have had to wear tin bills and pick Sh!t with the chickens. Really, folks, you have to fight the urge to let hope triumph over intellect. Really.
It's time for everyone to take off the rose colored glasses and accept things the way they are. The beautiful prince is all about the “O”. We certainly have had to on this side of the pond.
I guess Europe doesn’t matter anymore. Suck it up and go on down the road.
There IS that. See, it’s a glass half full after all.
Geert Wilders who will be the leader of Holland, Merkel, Sarkozy, Berlasconi and others (czechs & Poles) know he is a Muslim as does the Pope. They want nothing to do with him.
nyt making excuse for him not going to europe, ooh maybe he didn’t want to be tired for his asian trip. Another way to put it is he’s not up to the job. He spend way too much time playing golf
“The fallout — either attributed to the private comments of European leaders, or reflected in major editorial voices — is an expression of skepticism about Mr. Obama’s capabilities and the depth of the change he claims to represent.”
To channel Michelle Malkin for a moment: boo-friggin-hoo.
I find it wryly amusing that all this nelly-aching is coming from the same Europe that was all a flutter about the Lightbringer just a year or so ago. Suck it up, folks. It’s not *our* fault you were dumb enough to believe his line of crap (”our” meaning the 47% or so of us who had the sense to vote for Sarah Palin and the creepy old guy running with her).
Hows that hope and change working for you guys.
Once you serve the purpose o-bow-man had for you, presto under the bus.
Oh, I don’t think the rejection was on their side, believe me. I think POTUS has gone out of his way to snub their collective noses. This is a new initiative which is why he’s doing Hillary’s job and she’s -— she’s -— what IS she doing now?
NYTimes, you really shouldn't ask questions like this unless you intend to answer them. The answer is obvious. Because, as a lifelong Communist-Muslim, he is the other side. He wishes it had never happened.
And this is not the only reason why Europe should feel rejected. He has insulted them at every turn: preening before the people but insulting their leaders. It's habitual with him, and it's not gaining him a lot of friends.
Oh, Europe is not at all insignificant in "Obama's" worldview.
After all, white folks' greed runs a world in need.
No, Europe is not insignificant. It's just that the destruction of America has a higher priority for him.
NYSlimes has become the newest Obama apologist wing. I mean, COME ON, Europe, with all of his golf games, interviews, magazine covers, late night TV appearances and WH parties, our prez is just too darned TIRED to celebrate FREEDOM!!!!
(After all, if you notice, "freedom" isn't in his agenda OR his vernacular!!)
It was completely predicted by Miss Marple’s Street Puppet Index® - no papier mache, no love.
Based upon how Europe has treated the USA in the past; I can take their snubbing with a great deal of apathy. Whenever there is a problem in Europe, we are there. When they need aide, we are the first one’s there.
But when Terrorists killed 3,000 innocent citizens; did we get so much as a friggin’ fruit basket? When Katrina hit, where did the ‘Friends’ in Europe go? When we have flooding that submerges the mid-west; where is our aide?
It’s a damn good thing we don’t NEED their help; because they are fair weather friends at best. We have France stabbing us in the back everytime we turn around. Where was Germany during Hussein’s reign and our stance of taking him out?
The only tried and true ally I see across the pond is Great Brittian.
He, Europa, Eat my Florida (from an old Far Side Cartoon.
LOL! Whatdidtheyexpect?
Guess they bought the JiveTalkingFlimFLamSnakeOilSalesmanTonguePudding rhetoric of Barak.
Physical strain of a TransAtlantic trip -— before a TransPacific trip? Gee, that’s tough. Lots of strain.
But -— but -— Doesn’t he fly 1st class? No? Oh -— you mean he has a room on board, with a bed and shower, and people at his beck and call? Some strain!
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