Analysis: Greek anti-Americanism

BBC ^ | Friday, January 12, 2007 | Malcolm Brabant

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Many Greeks will have reacted with satisfaction to the dawn rocket attack on the US embassy in Athens.

There is an undercurrent of anti-Americanism in Greece, which began after the Great Powers carved up Europe at Yalta towards the end of World War II. It has been perpetuated every generation since, by some aspect of US foreign policy.

Police said a rocket was fired at the US eagle emblem

Revolutionary Struggle, the left-wing guerrilla group which claims to have fired the Russian-made rocket, is continuing the tradition of its predecessor November 17, of attacking targets which have - in its view - populist appeal.

Iron fist

November 17 began its long terror campaign in December 1975 by murdering Richard Welch, the CIA station chief, outside his Athens home.

It went on to murder three other American diplomats.

Welch's assassination was part of an attempt to avenge American support of the right-wing military dictatorship which ruled Greece with an iron fist from 1967 to 1974.

The colonels' regime began to falter after a student uprising in 1973.

The rebellion was centred on Athens Polytechnic, and on November 17 that year the colonels sent in tanks to crush the revolt.

The true casualty figure has never been confirmed, but it is thought as many as two dozen students were killed.

Greece has never forgotten nor forgiven.

Ritual battle

That day in November is regarded as a defining anniversary of Greece's modern democracy and, because of its backing of the colonels, the United States is inextricably connected in a very poor light.

	The playstation generation's disdain of America has been fuelled not just by stories told on the knees of parents and grandparents, but also by President Bush's invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan

Each year, on that date, tens of thousands of trade unionists, left-wingers and ordinary people march from the Polytechnic to the heavily fortified US embassy.

Invariably the demonstration disintegrates into a ritual battle between riot police and anarchists.

The march is also an opportunity for Greece's grandparents to vent their anger over US interference in their domestic politics.

After Stalin, Truman and Churchill divided Europe at the Yalta summit, Greece slid into civil war, fought between communists and nationalists.

During the five-year conflict, America supported the nationalists, because they were desperate to make sure that the Soviet bloc did not have an outlet to the Mediterranean.

It took a full 25 years after the end of the civil war for communists and their supporters to be fully rehabilitated into Greek society.

Resentment over their treatment has continued to this day.

Unpopular US moves

The playstation generation's disdain of America has been fuelled not just by stories told on the knees of parents and grandparents, but also by President George Bush's invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The US embassy is a focal point for dissent in Athens

The wars in both countries are widely opposed in Greece and are regarded as despicable acts of folly.

America's reputation in Greece is also not helped by the perception that it usually takes Turkey's side during disputes between Athens and Ankara.

Disdain for American values is, however, not universal in Greece.

There is a large expatriate Greek community living in the US and many people here admire and imitate the American entrepreneurial spirit.

But most Greeks believe American foreign policy is both malevolent and disastrous. So there will not be much sympathy for Ambassador Charles Ries, as he surveys the damage done to his fortress on Vassilis Sofias Avenue.

[Verginius Rufus]

Cyprus was a bone of contention long before 1974 (when the Greek dictatorship had hopes of annexing Cyprus to Greece, foiled by the Turkish invasion). In a sense it goes back to the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus in 1571 (from Venice). During WWI apparently Greece had a chance to get Cyprus from Britain by joining the Allies, but at the time the Greek government under King Constantine refused (Greece finally joined the Allies in 1917 after King Constantine abdicated in favor of his son).

[driftless2]

And just what has Greece done to help the world in the last two thousand years or so? Without the U.S., Greece would just be another commie or fascist country.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Appreciated.

[aomagrat]

When I was in the navy, I went to Greece several times and each time I found the Greeks to be very friendly.

[Tokra]

The playstation generation's disdain of America has been fuelled not just by stories told on the knees of parents and grandparents, but also by President George Bush's invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Weren't the Greeks (as well as the Bulgarians, Macedonians, Serbs, etc.) under the heel of the Muslims for hundreds of years? Wasn't it the "evil" western powers who freed them from their yoke of oppression during WWI?

How quickly they forget.

[38special]

Yes, they will smile as they take your money.

[sausageseller]

I have a very good friend who is Greek. He is going back this weekend.
He blames the euro for high prices there.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

They were under control of the Ottomans from around 1452 (when Constantinople fell) to 1829. As far as Muslim rulers go, the Ottomans were pretty lenient. Also of note is the fact that the [heavily Muslim] Arabs are also strongly anti-Turkish/anti-Ottoman. Greece largely won its independence by itself.

[Sam Cree]

Yeah, I guess they will smile when you are buying from them, but there have been places where they would sullenly take your money too. I think Paris had that reputation once, but I think things have changed there.

I'm starting to get the impression that this article is somewhat uninformed.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Greece's map on Wikipedia suggests that it is a subset of the EU rather than completely independent. Apparently at least a few Greeks are very pro-EU, federal Europe.

Greece:

In contrast, fellow EU member, Sweden:

Surprisingly, the UK entry on Wikipedia also shows the UK as a subset of the EU--same with Germany, but Germany is supposed to be the most federal Europe friendly country on the subcontinent.

A Euro-promoter could have simply gone on an editing spree.

[Doe Eyes]

So this is true because the BBC says so?

Isn't the BBC "Liberal Press"?

Have you read what the BBC says about our President?

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Uninformed in what way?

[BelegStrongbow]

I'm not sure that makes any sense. The whole reason Greece joined the EU was to get the value of the euro. Given their economy was far more deficit-driven than the average existing EU country, they could only gain.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

If you keep reading the comments from other freepers, and take the post about almost all, if not all, of the commentators on the BBC's Have Your Say, Greeks seem to have a strong track record of anti-Americanism.

If you have experiences suggesting otherwise--as several freepers here have posted--then do state them. They will be helpful in elucidating the situation.

[Sam Cree]

I'm starting to get the idea that, although some reasoning is put forth, the author doesn't really understand exactly where Greek anti Americanism comes from. 'Course, I personally am ignorant on the subject, so perhaps I shouldn't be giving an opinion. I am starting to get that impression, though.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

The BBC is definitely left-leaning. But what exactly is your point? That they're trying to portray right-wing Greece in a bad light to drive a wedge between the cozy Greco-American alliance? If anything, the leftist BBC would be supporting this Greek action and making the Americans look as though they deserved it.

And while the BBC is predominantly liberal, they do on occasion have balanced pieces on the United States, including about President Bush.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Brabant seems pretty thorough (opinion). He starts at Yalta, goes on to American support of an unpopular dictatorship, mentions American support for Turkey and interference in the Cyprus conflict, and outlines Greek opposition to the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq (something they have in common with many of their fellow EUers).

However, also have relatively little information about this topic.

[MARKUSPRIME]

Almost 99% on have your say are anti-US socialist eurotrash,with a mix of their muslim immigrants. Lovely place...not.Europe is finished as a world power.

[Doe Eyes]

I can't always deduce the nefarious intent of the Liberals, but I remain suspicious.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Although it varies by topic, many HYS's--when ranked by most recommended--have conservative comments as the most popular. For example: BBC HYS: What changes will the new Congress bring?.

On the other hand, the current top HYS is about sending more American troops to Iraq, and currently that HYS is rife with liberalism and anti-Americanism.