Posted on 11/19/2004 11:14:05 AM PST by quidnunc
In light of how the media and political elites in Europe continue to denounce the war in Iraq and openly criticize the reelection of President George W. Bush, it is surprising that their reaction to the replacement of Secretary of State Colin Powell with Condoleezza Rice has been so favorable. After all, Powell was widely regarded in Europe as the single moderate voice in an administration of hawks.
Despite the positive remarks about Condoleezza Rice from German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and his French counterpart Michel Barnier, it is important not to underestimate the depth of anti-Americanism in Europe and its impact on U.S. foreign policy around the world.
-snip-
It is important to understand that modern American conservatism has no equivalent in Europe and has never been accepted as legitimate in European intellectual circles, which are monolithically both secular and liberal. There is no National Review or Weekly Standard, no talk radio personalities or Fox News to challenge the liberal orthodoxy. Serious ideological diversity among think-tanks and political foundations in any European country is negligible.
Just how much influence do these opinion shapers have? The Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Survey from March this year noted that "solid majorities in France and Germany believe the U.S. is conducting the war on terrorism in order to control Mideast oil and dominate the world." In Turkey "as many as 31 percent say that suicide attacks against Americans and other Westerners in Iraq are justifiable." Turkey is important, because it stayed out of the coalition in Iraq and we know whose club it wants to join.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at techcentralstation.com ...
All those blue counties in the western states are from escaping Californians moving in. Unfortunatly what happens as they move is they start thinking to themselves the old socialist lie, "If only they were in charge it would have gone right."
It goes downhill from there....
"The citizens and taxpayers of the United States of America owe not one instant of consideration or one penny to the citizens or leaders of European countries. We owe them NOTHING"
I hate to correct you...
The largest buyers of US government debt have been the central banks of the Asia-Pacific and the EU. The central banks of Japan and China alone hold more than $1 trillion of US Treasury bonds as foreign currency reserves. Worldwide foreign central banks hold some $1.3 trillion of US government debt. If private debt is added, the United States is the world‘s largest debtor, with some $3.7 in net foreign debt.
You owe us nothing but Billions of $$.
Get real...
Hun
"Saying that you hate our president is the same as saying that you hate the people who elected him."
Nonsense.
Hun
BTW, you forgot to answer my question:
"Why the hell should the French or Krauts be
jealous of the USA" ????
Regards,
Hun
It's the same mentality that had you marching through the streets singing the Horst Wessel Lied and shouting Sieg Heil! < P>In other words, it's just Joseph Goebbels big lie redux.
"Why the hell should the French or Krauts be
jealous of the USA" ????
because we have sports that allow hands to be used
"I care to the extent that we should begin to think of the EU as a potential enemy."
I agree. That`s fact... unfortunately.
Regards,
Hun
:-)
...any more *serious* examples?
"You Europeans don't really know why you dislike the U.S."
...and you bet that about 85% of "Old Europe" do really
know why.
BTW, you still haven`t answered my original question
(Nazi stuff snipped, or wanna start a discussion
about the Holocaust, Native Indians & Black Slaves?)
Hun
>It is surprising that their approval.....Condoleeza Rice has been so favorable....<
Where did I hear Condi Rice was trained by the father of
Madeline Albright? Has anyone else heard that?
I'm glad to see you have a good sense of humor!
As far as serious reasons why the Euros are jealous of the US, we could start with the idea that the US has shown incredible strength in the face of our very unfavorable circumstances in the last several years. Lets get real, what state do you think France would be in if it had a 9/11 type attack, a recession, and a fierce political election like we just had, within a 3 year span? The answer to that question is why they're jealous of the US.
Just because you ask a question about a point I haven't addressed doesn't mean I'm obligzated to answer it.
German xenphobia goes back at least tol the era of Biamark and Kaiser Wilhelm.
It was a centerpiece of Richard Wagner's thinking.
Euros like to put on airs about being worldly and well-informed, but my experience is that they are much more parochial and self-centered than Americans.
Old Europe doesn't have much to teach us, Fritzl.
As for France, they are America's oldest enemy going back to the French and Indian Wars of our colonial period.
Short list, but you get the point...
This ranks as the best post I have read on the forum. Is there a website that has more of this?
bttt
"I'm glad to see you have a good sense of humor!"
You may rest assured that it often takes a real
good sense of humor to read articles & comments
on FR, when beeing a German... ;-)
"As far as serious reasons why the Euros are jealous of the US, we could start with the idea that the US has shown incredible strength in the face of our very unfavorable circumstances in the last several years."
These circumstances and events ARE the reasons why
Euros don`t envy the US... beside other, additional
reasons.
"Lets get real, what state do you think France would be in if it had a 9/11 type attack, a recession, and a fierce political election like we just had, within a 3 year span?"
France suffered from a 4-year visit by my Grandfathers,
causing a complete breakdown, a divided nation (Vichy)
and war & destruction in 1940 and 44/45.
In 45, they said "Voila" and occupated their part
of Germany.
I guess "your" problem is that you see 0911 as a
kind of singular, extraordinary event.
In Europe during WWII, nearly every village had it`s own
kind of 0911, aka total destruction.
That`s still in our common memory... and that`s
why most Euros have deeply understood your shock and
grief, but are now saying: "Come on, get over it"
In our view, having constant terror alerts and loosing
your sons and daughers in wars... isn`t a real reason
to envy the US these days.
Not to speak of political reasons...
My regards,
Hun
"Old Europe doesn't have much to teach us, Fritzl."
Hmmm, maybe how to be polite, Yankl?
"As for France, they are America's oldest enemy going back to the French and Indian Wars of our colonial period."
In this case, shouldn`t the US hate & oppose
the British Empire even more?
Just following your logic...
Hun
In addition, Europeans are completely the captives of a left wing press. But they're learning. Last week, Catholics had a large demonstration in front of Socialist party headquarters in Madrid, protesting the party's anti-Catholic policies and attacks on the Church. Media coverage? You guessed it, none. (Just like the million-person anti-abortion march I was in once in Washington, which was not even mentioned by most of the "mainstream" press the next day.)
Today I read some of their comments as they wondered exactly how many other events have been surpressed by the media. They're learning, but probably not fast enough.
Actually, the EU has an impressively large number of people wearing military uniforms. The capabilities of these forces, however, is less impressive.
Fact Sheet on the French Armed Forces
2004 Defense Budget : 32.4 billion euros (+4.3% from 2003 to 2004, +7.5% from 2002 to 2003)
The total number of personnel working for the defense department is 438,000, of which 356,000 are military, all professional and 82,000 civilians. The Army comprises 38 percent (132,000 active military), the Navy - 12 percent (42,500 active military), the Air Force - 16 percent (64,000 active military), the Gendarmerie - 23 percent, and joint services -11 percent.
With 132,000 soldiers in the French Army, you’d think that a considerable number, say 5-10,000, could have participated in Afghanistan or Iraq to considerable effect, especially if other Old Europe countries also chipped in.
No Fritzl, after we reached a meeting of the minds in the War of 1812, the Brits have been our allies.
The French have always been a pain in the ass.
Of course, we can always count on the French when they need us.
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