The Gloves are Off: The European Press on Bush's Visit

SPIEGEL ^ | February 21, 2005 | staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

As the bloggers say, hat tip to Texkat . Thought it worthy of a good discussion.

[mwfsu84]

With an unemployment rate approaching 12% and an election near, Schroeder's only hope of winning is to bash Bush and America. Hate to say it, but I don't expect much good to come from this visit.

[writer33]

With an unemployment rate approaching 12% and an election near, Schroeder's only hope of winning is to bash Bush and America. Hate to say it, but I don't expect much good to come from this visit.

You redneck conservatives showing your closed minds again. How dare you!

:) Hehehe! Denote sarcasm.

I'd have to agree with you. I don't expect the French to be cooperative at all. History shows them to be anything but cooperative.

[Shermy]

"The European Press"

Only Germany and France are noted. Well, they do think they speak for "Europe."

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

They may get surprised one of these days!

[Joe Boucher]

I don't care if Schroeder and Chirac get on their knees and kiss Mr. Bush's ass on the tarmac.
Over the years, American boys and girls in the military have died because of their greed and stupidity.
If germany and france get unemployment of say 60% I for one still would refuse to buy andy of their goods for any reason.
F-em.

[wvobiwan]

Europe needs America, sure. But I don't see why America needs Europe, and especially why we're still flushing money (in the form of NATO expenditures) down that rat hole of socialism and anti-Americansim.

Disband NATO and form WTO - World Treaty Organization. Make the entry requirement at least 2 divisions of soldiers and 1 billion in equipment, always. Move all American forces out of Europe and send them to places that need protection, like Afghanistan, Iraq, Venezuela, Cuba, and Japan. South Korea has apparently decided it doesn't need the US anymore - fine they're too far away anyway.

[Poodlebrain]

Am I crazy, but I think GWB is delivering a totally different message than the European newspapers think they are getting? I think GWB is telling the Europeans that they missed the bus when they opposed the regime change in Iraq, but that we've held the bus at the next stop if they want to get on board now. Meanwhile the European newspapers seem to think GWB has stopped the bus to ask for directions, and that their respective governments will provide the directions.

[BigWaveBetty]

The paper identifies three good reasons why the US and Europe should find the will to work together. To begin with, "on its own, the Super Power doesn't have the money or the know-how to take on the rebuilding of countries like Iraq and Afghanistan -- much less the democratic restructuring of an entire region like the Middle East." Secondly, "Europe's democracies share more values with America than with any other imaginable partners." Thirdly, there's the question of sheer power: "Only a unified Europe can endanger America's worldwide supremacy in the foreseeable future."

This could have come from Sprokets, the New Generation - Attempting Humor.

[Richard Kimball]

Nice find Bump.

[nkycincinnatikid]

And just what are they saying around the gaming tables in the Grand Duchy of Fenwick this evening?

[bill1952]

Given the deafening lack of support for American ideals in the EU press, and the lackluster support, albeit that it is somewhat nice to have any support at all, from "new Europe, perhaps they do.

Even though other countries have voiced displeasure with France's self aggrandizing viewpoint, it is not only France that is anti American.

The EU is a fine PR lapdog for France.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

VW and Daimler car sales are down about 30% in the USA. French wine and cheese sales are down about a third (they pulled out their automobile franchises in the 1980's).

You betcha the Germans and French want to make nice. They need this market, as their total GNP's are shrinking for the past two years in a row.

I think they also suspect Condi will step in for VP Cheney in the last year so they will have to deal with her as president, once elected. They got plenty to be nice about with us!

[JarheadFromFlorida]

I think it's about time that we REMIND cowardly Europe (excluding England) exactly what we did for them during World War II. If it wasn't for America, France would either be speaking German or a country of lampshades compliments of Germany, the same country that brought the world Adoph Hitler. We sacrificed a hell of alot more than they did in World War II and this is the thanks that we get today. Bush should remind them of that on his trip to Europe this week.

[Theresawithanh]

"Men like him, who are inspired by a mission, often don't act rationally and therefore become difficult to calculate, sometimes even dangerous."

Only dangerous to people like you, Mr. Schulz. Have you hugged a "freedom fighter" today?

[Caipirabob]

If germany and france get unemployment of say 60% I for one still would refuse to buy andy of their goods for any reason. F-em.

The continental Europeans generally don't come to terms with their disasterous Socialist policies until the whole of Europe is burning and crashing down around them.

European Socialists....Stupid buggers.

[Darkwolf377]

"Europe needs America, sure. But I don't see why America needs Europe"

So America-based American haters don't feel lonely?

I know, I know, I'm reachin here but...

[Former Proud Canadian]

"on its own, the Super Power doesn't have the money or the know-how to take on the rebuilding of countries like Iraq and Afghanistan -- much less the democratic restructuring of an entire region like the Middle East."

Substitute "Europe" for the "the Middle East" in this passage and that's exactly what Stalin thought in 1945. Then, a much less powerful US proceeded to rebuild the entire continent and restructure it democratically, all the while holding off the communist menace. This people have no concept of history.

[MadIvan]

"Only a unified Europe can endanger America's worldwide supremacy in the foreseeable future."

Of course they mean to use our military to build this power. I'm sorry, British guns will never again be pointed at our American friends. The idiot who wrote this line can go back to drinking out of his bottomless beer stein.

Regards, Ivan