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Our growing rift with Europe
Boston Globe ^ | 6/5/2003 | Jeff Jacoby

Posted on 06/07/2003 1:05:19 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe

Edited on 04/13/2004 2:10:03 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

THE HANDSHAKES in Evian were polite. The conversations were civil. Unlike the tens of thousands of European demonstrators who took to the streets to protest, none of the presidents or prime ministers at this week's Group of Eight summit in France raised his voice or shouted insults. But the rift between America and "Old Europe'" was evident all the same.


(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Germany; Government; Philosophy; Russia; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: g8summit; jeffjacoby
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1 posted on 06/07/2003 1:05:19 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Tailgunner Joe
Thank you for posting this.
From the Boston Globe yet!
2 posted on 06/07/2003 1:34:05 PM PDT by grammymoon
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To: Tailgunner Joe

"But that is a lesson the Europeans - despite their experience with Nazism, fascism, and communism - refuse to learn. Which is why the gulf between us is only going to widen." -- article

Why the alienation after America bailed out Europe twice in world wars? You would think that our nation with its historical foundations rooted in the tenets of individual liberties, freedoms and rights would be cheered around the world. But we are not. We are scorned; indeed hated and today, Europe is forced to deal with American hypocritical international interventionalist foreign policy. America's shallow embrace for "peace" around the world is nothing more than a cloak to spread an Empire.
3 posted on 06/07/2003 1:45:43 PM PDT by Buckeroo
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To: Buckeroo
It's that same interventionism that liberated Europe in the first place. The EUSSR hates the US because they want to dominate the world instead of us!
4 posted on 06/07/2003 1:48:04 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe (Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't)
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To: Tailgunner Joe
But that is a lesson the Europeans - despite their experience with Nazism, fascism, and communism - refuse to learn.

The reason they cannot learn the lesson is precisely the fact that all three --- Nazism, fascism, and communism --- have been prodiced in Europe. The clouded brain that created those remains clouded.

5 posted on 06/07/2003 1:52:11 PM PDT by TopQuark
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To: Tailgunner Joe
I read somewhere that nations go thru cycles something like this: first slavery, then spirtual revival, then rebellion, then freedow, then prosperity, then conplaycency (sp?), then faithlessness, then debauchery, finally back to slavery.

Looks like Europe is ready for slavery (or serfdom) again.

Does anyone know correct stages listed above? I am recounting it from memory.
6 posted on 06/07/2003 1:54:32 PM PDT by 429CJ (.)
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To: Tailgunner Joe
Really? No other nation has been at war, large or small than the USA since Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-1909. America has created the current trend of global dominence ... we are everywhere.

And you say the USSR and Europe want to jump in? They are afraid of us and for good reason too. America just established a new "benchmark" for herself ... it is called "pre-emptive" war.
7 posted on 06/07/2003 1:54:41 PM PDT by Buckeroo
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To: Tailgunner Joe
The truth is, Europe has lost its will to fight. The bloodshed of two world wars understandably left painful emotional scars and gave rise to a conviction - not so understandable - that war is fundamentally illegitimate and unjust.

Nah, it's the decline of Christianity, the inability of differentiate right and wrong, that is behind this: if you cannot see the difference between right and wrong, then there is no wrong, and then there is nothing to fight against.

We are only slightly behind the same wave of moral relativism.

8 posted on 06/07/2003 1:54:59 PM PDT by TopQuark
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To: Buckeroo
I hope they are afraid of us. They should be.
9 posted on 06/07/2003 1:59:09 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe (Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't)
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To: Tailgunner Joe
Your deathwish is the reason why America has this worldwide enmity towards us. You don't seem to understand a significant supporting issue about our foreign policies .... you are paying for this ineptness via your hard earned tax dollar.
10 posted on 06/07/2003 2:03:34 PM PDT by Buckeroo
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To: grammymoon; Tailgunner Joe
Its a rare day I agree with something in the Boston Globe. This is a good article. It points to the consequences of good men who doing nothing in the face of evil.
11 posted on 06/07/2003 2:03:35 PM PDT by Ranger
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To: Buckeroo
I'm just smart enough to know who my enemies are, and I'm not interested in joining their side.

It is hatred of our Republican President which makes the commie Europeans hate us. When Bill Clinton was raining missiles on Serbia, they cheered him on. If we had a Democrat president, the Euro-commies would support everything he did.

If they want to fight the cold war all over again, bring it on!

12 posted on 06/07/2003 2:06:38 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe (Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't)
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To: Tailgunner Joe

"I'm just smart enough to know who my enemies are, and I'm not interested in joining their side." -- article

You don't understand that you are, in fact, supporting the enemy. Let me explain my perspective. In 1947 Harry Truman enacted the National Security Act (NSA). It was formed to ensure adequate defense about America after WW2; it was brought about as a significant method to halt communism. It created the US AirForce; moreover, it created the clandestine agency called the CIA. What transpired was almost dictatorial powers by this agency for and about America's foreign policy ever since. It caused Vietnam, South Korea, Kosovo and Iraq (I won't labor Sudan or Nigeria ... but let's be honest, our nation has infuriated Central America, South America, too). GWBush is just another president that can't control his own government; he is in a long line of literal dummies that can't do anything but sign a piece of paper authorizing the CIA to create more war around the world.
13 posted on 06/07/2003 2:16:36 PM PDT by Buckeroo
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To: Buckeroo
We know that we face ruthless enemies whose stated goal is nothing less than the destruction of Western freedom.,,,But that is a lesson the Europeans ...refuse to learn.

Here we have the author implying that the Europeans are too stupid to recognize a threat to western freedom when it blows up half of New York. I submit they are not that conveniently stupid. They see our problems with Islamist terrorists to be largely caused by our support for Israel and therefore largely self inflicted. They are saying in effect, do not endanger us with your scrap in which we deliberatly take no part. They are really afraid that the Arab Israeli conflict will become a world war when the problem would be contained between the parties if the US would not mix in. This is not appeasement as the author suggests but aloofness of a sort.

One can take issue with their position, and to a large degree I do, but the perception remains and drives a wedge between us. But at least the European position is arguable as contrasted to this Mist:

Europe is forced to deal with American hypocritical international interventionalist foreign policy. America's shallow embrace for "peace" around the world is nothing more than a cloak to spread an Empire

Sir, from San Juan Hill to Bagdad America has sought no empire. As Colin Powell said, we asked only for a place to bury our dead. Go sell your Mist to the three thousand children who died every month until Saddam was deposed. Go sell your wares in Afganistan where people can breathe again. Peddle your smarmy crap to the Muslims of Jugoslavia who were not ethnically cleansed. And then bring back the crown and sceptre of our empire as proof of your point.

But don't peddle this Mist here - you won't find a single buyer.

14 posted on 06/07/2003 2:21:32 PM PDT by nathanbedford
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To: Buckeroo
I suppose you'd prefer that Kim Jong-Il ruled all of Korea today?

I guess we never should have fought against the global onslaught of International Socialism. You know who else hate the CIA? Communists.

Today, thanks to generations of cold warriors, the U.S. is the most powerful country in the world. With the help of genuine patriots who understand the necessity of global military strength, we will stay that way.

You seem to have a high regard for the abilities of our enemies. Perhaps it is they who have a death wish. Perhaps this is why they find it all too easy to declare themselves against us.

15 posted on 06/07/2003 2:24:42 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe (Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't)
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To: Buckeroo
>>The bonds of kinship linking us to the continent from which we draw so much of our democratic and cultural heritage are wearing away.<<

This obesrvation is truly interesting... and so true.. and a good thing. Until the very end, this article had me going. But then, it came to the correct conclusion. The only thing between tyranny (religious OR idological) and the entire world is the USA.

Maybe we should just advertise we WON'T protect Europe (except maybe Britian) and invite her enemies (starting with Turkey) in. When Christinadom and Judiasim (and all other relious practices) are banned in all of Old Europe, maybe we'll hear "Dr. Who, we were wrong -- our world looks to you to save us."

Let 'em rot and feel the heel of total opression, the lot of 'em.

16 posted on 06/07/2003 2:24:59 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Peace through Strength)
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To: Buckeroo

17 posted on 06/07/2003 2:25:38 PM PDT by Leisler
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To: Tailgunner Joe
This is very interesting. When I was an undergraduate at Illinois Wesleyan University from 1991-1995, there was a columnist named Jeff Jacoby that occasionally submitted articles to our campus newspaper. (I was a regular columnist.)

Wonder if this is the same guy?

Trace
18 posted on 06/07/2003 2:26:56 PM PDT by Trace21230 (Ideal MOAB test site: Paris)
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To: Buckeroo
The failure of deterrence against terrorism or those states that use such surrogate forces created the need for pre-emption.

Pre-emption is also a tempting and dangerous basis for foreign policy, especially when this policy run by the Pentagon.

While many fear the U.S. and the thought of pre-emption, it is worth noting that the EU countries are not re-arming in the face of overwhelming US military strength. If they truely felt threatened then the EU, Canada, Japan and so, on would be gutting their welfare programs and putting more into military preparedness. They are not. This tells us something too. They may hate us, but I think they may hate their own weakness as well, but are too selfish or petty to do anything substantive about it.

19 posted on 06/07/2003 2:26:59 PM PDT by Ranger
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To: Ranger
Jeff Jacoby is the best,he's the main reason I'm a Globe reader.
20 posted on 06/07/2003 2:28:15 PM PDT by Mears (.)
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