(EUROPE'S VIEW) We Have To Talk

Washington Post ^ | 11/07/04 | Bronwen Maddox

[Pokey78]

LONDON

It is hard to overstate the sense of shock across much of Europe at the popular mandate that Americans have given George W. Bush, even if the result itself was no great surprise. One Norwegian designer working in London's Notting Hill shared with me her immediate sense of alarm, "It's going to be like World War III, isn't it? Everyone says so."

As the president's victory was confirmed, those on the left-of-center in Europe, who have supplied the loudest opposition to the Iraq war, competed to pronounce on the disaster. Hubert Vedrine, France's former Socialist foreign minister, said the result showed that "there is a major and lasting lack of understanding between the American people and the rest of the world."

Britain's New Statesman magazine, with close links to Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labor Party, rushed out a cover saying simply "Oh No!" The front page of the left-wing Daily Mirror asked: "How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?"

[OpusatFR]

"Chirac misjudged the extent to which the new, pro-American members of the European Union would contradict him. On many fronts France, one of the Union's founders, now finds itself subtly undermined."

Chirac's reflexive anti-Americanism is a convenient way to create this scapegoat, bogeyman in order to keep the EU together. Looks like he's running into opposition.

I thought Europe had outgrown the idea of creating enemies where they don't exist, as did Bismarck, but apparently Europe is still mired in 19th century mindset.

[Max Combined]

"One Norwegian designer working in London's Notting Hill shared with me her immediate sense of alarm, "It's going to be like World War III, isn't it? Everyone says so."


WWIII started on 911.

[CWOJackson]

Hubert Vedrine, France's former Socialist foreign minister, said the result showed that "there is a major and lasting lack of understanding between the American people and the rest of the world."

The EU is hardly "the rest of the world". Perhaps he meant the "old world".

[shezza]

One Norwegian designer working in London's Notting Hill shared with me her immediate sense of alarm, "It's going to be like World War III, isn't it?"

Where have YOU been for the last three years???

[greeneyes]

actually, it started with the assassination of Robert Kennedy, and the many incidents leading up to 9/11. It took 9/11 before the war was acknowledged.

[greeneyes]

If the rest of the world does not understand America, I would suggest that they had better shut up, and start figuring it out.

[normy]

Perhaps WWIII ended with the colapse of the Soviet Union and WWIV started on 9-11. Just like WWII and WWIII the Europeans will need the help of a strong American President and a strong English PM. Australia will do their usual grunt work recieving little credit.

[Moconservative]

If we are successful in Iraq it may have a significant impact on the EU. Germany and France's leadership will be questioned and a more pro US EU could develop.

[airborne]

(EUROPE'S VIEW) We Have To Talk

No. We talk, you listen!

[pkp1184]

"there is a major and lasting lack of understanding between the American people and the rest of the world."


We're RIGHT and they're WRONG, is that lack of understanding?

[ml1954]

"there is a major and lasting lack of understanding between the American people and the rest of the world."

Yes, that's right. And it has always been that way except for those few decades when free Europe was threated by the looming nuclear bear called the USSR or by a militant Germany (WWI and WWII). Since that's all gone, we are back to where we've always been vis-a-vis the 'rest of the world' (meaning most of Europe). And as usual we are cleaing up messes created by Europe. This one is in the Middle East, created when they broke up the Ottoman Empire after WWI and created a bunch of non-countries by drawing lines on maps, and then walked away.

[Born to Conserve]

The U.S. won WWi.
The U.S. won WWii.
The U.S. won WWiii.
And guess who's gonna win WWiv.

[Highest Authority]

This is clearly the result of inbreading!!

[hinckley buzzard]

"If the rest of the world does not understand America, I would suggest that they had better shut up, and start figuring it out."

Bingo. Time for these slackers to start reaching out in understanding to US for a change. I can discern no reason whatsoever for US to go out of our way to understand ineffectual, feckless and insignificant losers.


They need to reform their own media, the source of the lies they uncritically slurp down.

[Don Corleone]

"It's going to be like World War III, isn't it? Everyone says so."

Once everyone said that the earth was flat. That didn't make it so either. From here on out...we talk...you listen...got it Euro Trash?

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

"It's going to be like World War III, isn't it? Everyone says so."

Everybody must not be that bright. WW IV began on September 11, 2001. World War III ended quite some time ago.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[happygrl]

bttt

[Robert357]

"there is a major and lasting lack of understanding between the American people and the rest of the world."

...The front page of the left-wing Daily Mirror asked: "How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?"

I guess they don't understand that those of us in the USA just will not tolerate wars to be fought on our soil. We much prefer to fight wars in the other sides back yard. "Collateral damage" is then a less troubling side effect of war. Maybe the Europeans will become "dumb" like that one of these centuries.