Posted on 02/18/2005 5:28:44 PM PST by Pokey78
President George W Bush set strict limits on the EU's global ambitions last night, saying that there was no need for the Franco-German goal of forming an alternative superpower.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, his first with a British newspaper since his re-election last year, he pointedly rejected a call by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder for Nato to be overhauled. Mr Schröder's words have been widely interpreted as an attempt to give the EU's fledgling foreign and military bodies more muscle.
"I disagree," Mr Bush said. "I think Nato is vital. Nato is a very important relationship as far as the United States is concerned. It is one that has worked in the past and will work in the future just so long as there is that strong commitment to Nato."
Echoing Tony Blair's repeated calls for Europe and America to work together, Mr Bush had emollient words for Europe's leaders before his visit next week.
He implicitly acknowledged that the time for the unilateralism of his first term was over. His message next week would be that America needed Europe on its side and could not "spread freedom" alone.
Despite a series of unresolved disagreements he was clearly determined to bolster hopes on both continents that they could rebuild some of the relationships that were shattered in the bruising transatlantic rows of his first four years in office.
"My trip to Europe is to seize the moment and invigorate [the] relationship," he said. "We compete at times but we do not compete when it comes to values."
Mr Bush will become the first American president to visit the European Commission and, given his supporters' deep misgivings about the EU's ambitions, he had remarkably warm words for European integration.
"I have always been fascinated to see how the British culture and the French culture and the sovereignty of nations can be integrated into a larger whole in a modern era," he said. "And progress is being made and I am hopeful it works because one should not fear a strong partner."
Asked about the draft European constitution, he cited the difficulties that the United States had faced in formulating its federal system of government.
But there was no hiding his view that the EU should not try to counter-balance the power of America.
He delivered a pointed rebuff to Mr Schröder who suggested last week that Nato was no longer an adequate body for consulting and co-ordinating the vision of its members.
"I look forward to talking to him about exactly what he meant by that," Mr Bush said.
"Some have said we must have a unified Europe to balance America. Why, when in fact we share values and goals? As opposed to counter-balancing each other, why don't we view this as a moment when we can move in a concerted fashion to achieve those goals?"
The president said it was up to him to "do a better job of explaining the common goals and the fact that by working together we are more likely to achieve them for our own security".
Mr Bush was speaking to The Daily Telegraph and four other European news organisations before his departure tomorrow.
He will spend two days in Brussels, meeting Nato and EU officials, and a day in the German city of Mainz to meet Mr Schröder. Finally, he will meet President Vladimir Putin of Russia in the Slovak capital, Bratislava.
Mr Bush sought to play down disagreements over how to confront Iran on its nuclear programme. Asked why America was not formally joining the diplomatic initiative of Britain, Germany and France towards Teheran, he said: "We have made it clear that we agree with the objective to get rid of the weapons."
But he added an unmistakable note of threat to the ruling clerics.
"The Iranians … just need to do what the free world has asked them to do," he said. "And it is pretty clear: give up your weapons programme."
He added that he would continue to say what he thought in his second term.
"I don't see how you can deal with people if you are not straightforward."
An EU Military Unit? EWWWWW!
Since the US spends more on defense than the rest of NATO combined, why would the EU want to have its own defense force? They can't even meet their troop commitments to NATO. Moreover, their expenditures on defense as a percentage of GDP is going down every year as they become more and more squeezed by social welfare costs and a declining population. More French grand delusions.
What a ridiculous headline. Bush did nothing of the sort - he criticized a thoroughly ill-timed comment by Schroeder concerning NATO's continuing relevance.
They are delusion but they are trying nonetheless. A key part is already materializing, i.e. a European defense industry with its holders in Old Europe. EADS has already expressed it's intention to acquire Thales. This will break its partnership with the British firm BAE and conjointly with the lifting of the EU arms embargo on China, which they are hoping will prompt the U.S. to sever its links with Atlantist defence industry, will isolate BAE as a an American only company.
This delusion will end when the EU realizes that true military power requires things like troops, weapons, and $$.
The EU has already taken over the NATO mission in Bosnia (formerly known as SFOR). Of course, they are too new to do it alone. There is still roughly battalion-sized element of US specialists and advisors to help them make it work.
The good news is that with Europe's commitment to its social systems they just won't have the money to compete. This is a continent that has lived under the umbrella of American security for over 50 years (which has helped afford them the very social lifestyle they've adopted)...and they still can't manage their economies.
This is revolution in the making as Lefty Europe won't stand by as politicians spend "their" money on bombs rather than bread...which is already in short supply. Something's gotta give.
"Intellectuals in Britain, Germany and France have been implying since the September Attack that sooner or later, our USA will fall due to our support of Israel. ...seen that in spiteful messages since the day after "9/11." That's why they are obsessed with Israeli and American political matters."
Do you really think when it is all said and done that it comes down to that (Israel)in Europe also? Wow
And when the weenies realize that letting people retire @ 50 and get 80% of their pre-retirement income costs a lot of $$...
All of this is garbage. Bush shouldn't be pandering to these bozo's. He shouldn't be defiant or confrontational either. He should simply and calmly talk down to them like the little children they are. They need us more than we need them.
The gauntlet has been thrown down, if the EU ignores us, the real game begins. You are with us or with the terrorist's, we shall soon find out.
LOL. Get real!
Wouldn't be too far down the road that they'd undoubtedly be demanding the U.S., as the world's largest superpower, pay for any funding of a competing superpower wannabe.
Get real they are not arming up against the US.
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