Yes Europe is a continent. I have been there many times so I don't need a geography lesson. But pacificist thinking seems to be a unifying and homogenous sentiment growing throughout the continent. I am far from the only observer to not thise. You take offense that somehow I don't pick out one country as being more pacificist than another, yet American policy makers from the president to the secretary of state can't seem to travel anywhere in Europe without mass protests in the streets. Yes, I realize that not every citizen of the country in question is participating. But we do know through opinion polls and the European press about the kinds of things being said against the US war on terror and Israel's efforts. Do they have a right to level such criticisms? Of course. But let's not pretend Europe is a bulwark of resolve right now. Come on. I didn't say everyone is giving in to this disturbing trend of appeasement and pacifity, but it sure appears the majority are.
Do I appreciate Tony Blair over Chirac's government? Of course. Blair has been nothing less than heroic and deserves a US Congressional Medal of Honor for his steadfastness. But do I believe if Blair had to run for re-election tomorrow that Brits would not turn out Labor in large numbers and that it would be mostly because of Iraq? You bet.
By the way, I am equally critical of my fellow Americans who have allowed one-sided and visceral media images, not to mention the irresponsible and divisive rhetoric of the Democratic party to sway them against the continuing liberation of Iraq. So don't take offense that I similarly call to task those in Europe who have given in to the same short-sightedness. This is disease of non-think seems to be afflicting both sides of the Atlantic. I have spared my fellow Americans no criticism on this point, so you need not think I'm being chauvenistic in leveling similar criticism overseas.
Anyway, even as you criticize my "analytic abilities," I challenge you to disprove that Europe isn't being overtaken by pacificism. All you've done is taken personal umbrage at my comments since apparently you're British without showing that in fact I'm wrong. Are you saying Israel's Lebanon incursion is popular in the UK and Europe? Are you saying the US war on terror has majority support in Europe? If you are, I'd love to see your evidence.
Your whole mode of thinking is based on a wrong foundation. I repeat, you cannot speak of a certain way of thinking without mentioning the individual nations.
You are also talking about three or four different things here so I'll pick out one.
Which European nations do you think are pro-terrorist?