Posted on 08/16/2008 5:38:38 AM PDT by WesternCulture
With all due respect, I'm pretty sure Dubya & Co will continue being the laughing stock of international affairs over here in Europe for a long time (- Hey, I'm aware you Americans have invested him with the highest of US offices, but I wrote "With all due respect" initially, so I won't drone on about how much many of us Europeans actually admire America, our common interests etc, out of sheer courtesy:D).
Europe and the US will remain best friends and just like my (personal) best friend since 30 years and I squabble from time to time (I'm 39), we're all in this civilization together - and together, we have a responsibility towards our origin as well the future of Western civilization.
Has the era of George W Bush defended as well as promoted Western values?
Most Conservatives around the globe probably agree, by today, that Reagan and Churchill made the right decisions in the field of global affairs of their time.
No sane person would wish to blow up an innocent little child playing in the street, whether that innocent little child happens to have been born into the totalitarian barbarity of Nazism, mid 19th century Japanese militarism, or the present Islamist disaster of government that currently plagues the remnants of a culture that once was known as Persia.
The men who truly understand what Niccolò Machiavelli was on about usually make good leaders (- and by the way, it ought to be acknowledged more often that Macchiavelli was a true Florentine republican who supported the idea of democracy ALTHOUGH he accepted the tradition of "i principi" - the monarchic despot rulers of Renaissance Italy/Europe of his time).
However, many of us Europeans doubt Bush JR is a new Reagan, Lincoln or Churchill.
There are some obvious reasons for this;
- The Bush administration has, more or less, apologized for the invasion of Iraq and seems to have given up on establishing law and order in the country. Perhaps this frustrated situation could all be blamed on Europe, but what good will it do?
- The Bush administration continues to be lenient towards the phenomena of illegal immigrants, especially those coming from south of the border. This is indeed something that continues to upset and irritate a lot of good, hard working Americans.
- The Bush administration has failed to maintain good relations with Europe. As a European, I'm well aware there are plenty of ignorant French, German and Italian crybabies among our "intellectuals". However, I'd say that while most of Western Civilization and our closest allies by today recognizes Reagan as a great leader of the free world, GWB never will be viewed in that way in my part of the world.
- The Bush administration has prove unable of coping with what might be the most severe threat to the US economy since the Great Depression, namely that of the Euro. The European economy is marked by slow growth since decades, but that doesn't matter much in this context as the fast decline of the USD we've seen in recent years constitutes a situation American economy doesn't seem prepared for. If American companies, at large, knew how to do business on European soil, the present conditions might have been of great advantage to overall American business life, but sadly enough we see very little of such initiatives taking place.
Europe can't tell the US what to do as well as vice versa and most good Europeans, in resemblance with good Americans, understand that's NOT what neither of us are here for. But let's continue the dialog for whatever it's worth - and in my opinion, preserving Western Civilization is worth a lot.
The invasion of Iraq might have been necessary sooner or later and the WOT absolutely is, but I also think most Westerners agree it's a better idea to fight these wars in a truly UNITED manner than to continue throwing mud at each other. Let's leave that to our teenagers on both sides of the pond.
Soldiers from many civilized nations (including mine), have died in the WOT and this fact alone calls for more of unity and determination among nations who are truly devoted to the irrepressible idea of human freedom.
Whatever one might say, George W Bush tried hard to become a new Reagan and some might say he was successful.
However; governments come and go, the US and other truly strong nations will, eternally, prevail.
The usual (cold hearted:D) love from Old Europe,
WesternCulture
Europe has ceased to matter to me.
One only needs to look at the situation in Georgia to see how impotent the entire continent is. Nothing will happen in response to Russia’s invasion unless the U.S. intervenes.
How about Rwanda? Europe’s doing a great job there too.
The same blustering idiots who accuse us of “cowboy diplomacy” and bemoan “American imperialism” won’t lift a finger to solve the problems in their back yard, much less the rest of the world. When the U.S. fails to act, its our fault. When the U.S. acts and fails, its our fault. When the U.S. acts and succeeds, its still our fault. Faced with this “damned if you do and damned if you don’t” attitude, why should we give any consideration to Europe?
Far as I’m concerned, if Europe doesn’t like George Bush, then he must be doing something right.
“However; governments come and go, the US and other truly strong nations will, eternally, prevail”
Do not count the European countries nor governments within this asumption, they have just this week demostrated their weakness and lack of resolve in helping a Democratic ally,
the European history will be forgotten any accomplishments by it’s people will not be recoignized by their Islamic rulers.
“...if Europe doesn’t like George Bush, then he must be doing something right.”
I like the way you think!
With all due respect, shove it.
He'll go down as one of the greats for defending the country against an unprecedented attack and for an iron will in single handedly destroying the rise of terrorism against the West.
[closest allies by today recognizes Reagan as a great leader of the free world, GWB never will be viewed in that way in my part of the world.]
Not by me for sure, though I once had great hopes for him. He sat down when he should have stood up on so many important issues to conservatives of the conservative platform and tried to be a big tent party guy.
I will remember him as a President who could of and should of but did’nt.
“The Bush administration has failed to maintain good relations with Europe. As a European, I’m well aware there are plenty of ignorant French, German and Italian crybabies among our “intellectuals”. However, I’d say that while most of Western Civilization and our closest allies by today recognizes Reagan as a great leader of the free world, GWB never will be viewed in that way in my part of the world.”
That funny, really funny. Reagan was despised by much of Europe during his time in office. Remember the Pershing II missles he placed in Europe and the hue and cry about that? Remember he was to be the cause of a nuclear holocaust? With a bit of research one can put together a list of fools who ended up with egg on their face when they made the mistake of passing judgement too soon. One could not close the book on Reagan’s record until years after he left office.
The same will apply to Bush. In 15 years if Iraq is not an outpost of democracy in the Middle East then Bush failed. If one waits to pass judgement, then one may avoid looking like a fool for the second time.
“Europe is nothing more than a vacation theme park for us”
- Some Americans might disagree though, namely:
1. Those who can’t afford the entrance fee (and admittedly, some Europeans can’t afford a vacation in the US all that often, despite the strength of our currencies)
2. Those admirable American men and women who daily work/have worked and in some cases even have died for the common cause of defending true freedom.
Where do you get your information? There has been no "apology" and things have not been better over there.
"...most Westerners agree it's a better idea to fight these wars in a truly UNITED manner than to continue throwing mud at each other..."
Someone had to be the "adult" in this and be responsible, and someone had to be the "child". The responsible thing that adults do is to SAY something, mean it, and back it up with meaningful action, not stupid, empty words. The "child's" way is to make a lot of prounouncement, threats, rules, and then sit back and do nothing when they are not followed. Who was the "child" and who was the "adult" with respect to Iraq? (Hint: it wasn't the UN and the Europeans) This seems to be something the Europeans seem incapable of understanding.
"...However, I'd say that while most of Western Civilization and our closest allies by today recognizes Reagan as a great leader of the free world, GWB never will be viewed in that way in my part of the world..."
I lived through the Reagan years. He was not only NOT admired, he was widely reviled and ridiculed in Europe. I lived through it, so I remember. Please don't try any revisionist history here. How many years did it take before Europeans realized he was right? After another decade or so of unimpeded immigration from muslim countries with the accompanying civil unrest, car fires, murders, accommodations and muslim demands to gutless European politicians to allow them to set up zones governed by Sharia Law, we'll see how "Dubya" (as he is insultingly called by liberals) is viewed in those parts of Europe not fighting to retain a semblance their culture as they are squeezed out by muslims and their demands for autonomy. Not to mention the inevitable paying of the piper that is going to come due in Europe due to the insupportable and unsustainable nanny state cradle-to-grave benefits given to a rapidly growing population expecting them.
"...among nations who are truly devoted to the irrepressible idea of human freedom..."
I suppose this doesn't include the idea of freedom in countries run by "little brown brothers" who were being murdered in numbers large enough that you could lay the bodies side by side on their backs in a row next to a highway and drive for two hours at top speed before you reached the end of the row. No, those people don't deserve to be included in the "irrepressible idea of human freedom."
Goofy Europeans will laugh at Bush until McCain & Co. are up to bat and Europe howls with distain at their take on business as usual.
If Obama is elected president, Europe is doomed as a viable political entity within 20 years..
You will be sold to the highest bidder for a handful of magic beans by the great one, the messiah, the trojan muslim Obama.
Targeted 'diversity' quotas will be required for all international trade with the US and elimination of immigration laws will be the soup de jour. Obama doesn't care a wit about the greenhouse - only that all the flowers polinate together, equally....
EUROWEENIES must be either from another planet or living in an alternate universe, OR BOTH!
Aren’t you supposed to tag this as a VANITY post? This is strictly a personal opinion.
Posted by WesternCulture: “I don’t know or care what the Europeans think.”
Please allow me to translate your statement into sincere and honest language:
“I don’t wish to know what the world outside my house looks like”.
Wrong. The actual translation: European opinion is so predictable and synchophantic with the Left that it holds little value to those who truly seek discerning thought.
Why? What's in it for us? Do we get to save their sorry @$$e$$ again like we did twice in the last century?
And one more thing. You dumb asses over there have bowed, scraped and accommodated the Russian viewpoint on everything ranging from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Iran.
You people have willingly allowed yourselves to have your energy “neck” under the foot of Russia.
Just wait and see where that goes.
10?
In Iraq, the kurds are naming their kids after him.
In Georgia, they said there’s a boulevard named after him.
He’s popular in Poland.
There are well over 400 countries last I checked!
Nevertheless, as screwed up as most of the world is...
China
Russia
Iran
Cuba
North Korea
Angola
Libya
Syria
Sudan
too many countries in Africa to count...
it’s actually a good thing!
The Bush administration has, more or less, apologized for the invasion of Iraq and seems to have given up on establishing law and order in the country.
What many of my fellow FReepers fail to understand is that George W. Bush is not a true conservative. He is a so-called ‘compassionate’ conservative, which is basically a warmed over Rockefeller Republican.
And GWB will never be in the same league as Ronald Reagan, Reagan was not called the ‘Great Communicator’ for nothing, he was able to formulate, define, hone and convey exactly what he wanted people to understand, and understand it they did. That is why he was able, with the votes of the American people to flush the abysmal Jimmy Carter from the White House in 1980 in a 44 state landslide, and 4 years later, America reaffirmed the wisdom of that landslide by rejecting Carter’s own Vice President by a 49 state landslide, the largest electoral college victory in all of American history.
Not only is George W. Bush a mediocre communicator, he failed miserably to promote and defend the policies of his Administration. He allowed his political adversaries to run rampant, spewing all sorts of lies and nonsense with seldom a word in protest. We know that Saddam Hussein did indeed have weapons of mass destruction, yellowcake uranium seized in Iraq was delivered to Canada for use in their commercial reactors, but has anyone in the Bush Administration stood up to call the naysayers and doubters on their lies and distortions? Or even smacking down the media for feeding the lie that there were “No WMDs”?
All we heard from this Administration were crickets chirping.
The first term of this Administration was encouraging, but as the second term started, it was clear that our President was losing his focus, and allowing others to articulate and direct the policies which have failed America (i.e., North Korea and Iran, once the other two legs of the ‘Axis of Evil’ are apparently just little stubs of the neighborhood Axis of Inconvenient and Unfortunate Realities.
And thus far, there is little to feel optimistic about so far as the Russian invasion of Georgia and the United States response to it, we heard Condi the Piano Player in her wavering quivering voice ‘demand’ that Russian forces should leave Georgia ‘at once’ all because a cease fire agreement was signed off on, and not only are the Russians not pulling out, they’re already signaling that much of the Georgian territory they invaded will NOT be returned, they have essentially annexed part of Georgia and all we’re doing is making demands and watching Putin laugh his ass off at us.
If George W. Bush had possessed the wisdom to resign after the mid term elections of 2006, under a new Administration of President Dick Cheney we would have seen a resurgence of American determination and focus throughout the world, without the ambivalence and mixed signals that have resulted in our enemies gaining advantages, and our friends and allies wondering WTF is going on in Washington.
Fortunately, the Democrats appear to be on the verge of nominating the most extreme and radical candidate since George McGovern in ‘72, and presuming that Obama-lama-ding-dong IS the nominee, John McCain will be the 44th President of the United States and while I’m no big fan of his, he at least recognizes the reality of a resurgent Russia, and he is determined to win the war on terror.
And my tagline says it all.
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