Opposition to U.S. Policy Intense In [Western] Europe (Poland LOVES Us AND GWB!)

The Washington Post ^ | September 4, 2003 | Glenn Frankel

[Pubbie]

"Majorities in six of the seven European countries surveyed, which also included the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal, said they disapproved of the way President Bush was handling international policy. The exception was Poland, where 58 percent of those surveyed supported Bush's policies."

You can always rely on the Slavs (I am one)!

[gr8eman]

I want to learn Slavic. (Polish, Czech) Do you know any really good books or courses for this? Thanks!

[pierrem15]

Rzeczpospolita bump.

The Poles are worried, but still supportive, and their new international preeminence allows them to enjoy bearding the Krauts and the Russians, a favorite national pastime.

The Krauts have really stepped in it with the calls for a museum of displaced persons in Berlin, meaning, of course, the Germans displaced from Eastern Europe after 1945. They also threatened the Czechs with holding up their EU membership a year ago if they didn't revoke the Benes decress expelling the Sudeten Germans. The Czechs told them to kiss off.

[Pubbie]

The "Slavic" language is different from country to country.

Polish is different from Russian, but it's sort of the difference between French and Italian ie the languages have similar qualities.

I don't speak Russian because my parents wanted me to learn English, but there are many fine books on Russian or Czech, or whatever you want to learn on Amazon.com.

Regards

Pubbie

[Shermy]

"American unilateralism"

Still looking for one example.

[Mike Darancette]

Poland was the only European Nation that wanted to go after Hitler when he broke the Treaty and militarized the Rhineland.

[Pubbie]

"enjoy bearding the Krauts and the Russians, a favorite national pastime."

Actually I'm Russian-American, but please be patient with Russia - Russians are somewhat negative on the US because we spent 50+ years threatening to Nuke eachother into oblivion.

Whereas the Western Euro-Parasites were defended for 50+ from the Red Army by America, only to end up stabing the US in the back, so comparing Western Europe to Russia is a bit unfair.

Also Russians are suspicious of EVERYONE, not just Americans, Because we're always being invaded.

:(

[pierrem15]

I understand, although many Poles would not.

What's your take on Putin's apparent switch to supporting the US on Iraq?

[Welsh Rabbit]

Craig Kennedy, president of the German Marshall Fund, said the results suggested that European anger, while focused on the Bush administration, went deeper. "There is a Bush style that really does drive Europeans up a wall," Kennedy said. "But would it go away if a Democrat took over the White House tomorrow? Frankly I don't think so. The poll suggests that Bush's policies are pretty well in sync with American public opinion. If you had a Democrat, they would still have to work basically within those kinds of public constraints. The policies that annoy most Europeans would still be there."

And we should care because? They ought to be more concerned with what we think of them.

The poll reported that Europeans want to see the European Union become a superpower but said they wanted it to cooperate with, rather than compete against, the United States. At the same time, a sizeable majority of Europeans do not want the EU to drastically increase defense spending.

And my future goals include winning the Boston marathon and marrying Salma Hayek. Probably not going to happen though.

[Pubbie]

"What's your take on Putin's apparent switch to supporting the US on Iraq?"

Well you see that's tricky.

What most people don't know, is that Putin can do virtually anything he wants in terms of directing public policy, but it's much harder to control his foreign policy because he can't do certain things without getting the approval of the Military, or the Oligarchs etc.

In the US the situation is reversed, Bush can do almost anything he wants on Foreign policy, but his domestic policy (As you know) is MUCH harder for him to control.

So you have to look at Russian Foreign policy like turning an Aircraft Carrier - It takes time and it's slow to change course.

[RJL]

The poll reported that Europeans want to see the European Union become a superpower but said they wanted it to cooperate with, rather than compete against, the United States. At the same time, a sizeable majority of Europeans do not want the EU to drastically increase defense spending.

That’s the rub isn’t it. France and Germany want the US to do all the dirty work and pay for it all, but at the same time they think they should be in charge, calling the shots.

They can't understand why the US declines such an offer.

[July 4th]

Did you see the "chocolate-makers" line today? It was hilarious!

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1410833,00.html

[pfflier]

The Euroweenies hate strong decisive leadership. They want Clintoon's "whatever" approach returned. I don't doubt for a second that they are meddling in our internal election process.

Certainly their news services are venomous and never, repeat, never miss a chance to slam the president.

[Shermy]

Good one.

[Pubbie]

Yes it's going to be rather difficult for Western Europe to become a "Superpower" when they're too busy Aborting, Taxing, Disarming, and Sodomizing their way into extinction.

[Pubbie]

The Globalists have got a whole lot of people fooled don't they?

[Frapster]

And my future goals include winning the Boston marathon and marrying Salma Hayek. Probably not going to happen though.

Do you currently run marathons and qualify for Boston? If so I know a training program that can take significant time off your marathon time and if not then I bet the program can help you qualify for Boston in 6 months. If you don't run at all then depending upon your current physical condition I would be that you could run Boston within 2 to 6 years providing you give the effort. Couch-potato to Boston in 6 years. I think it can be done.

[Southack]

"Both sides supported strengthening the United Nations, but 57 percent of Americans were prepared to bypass the world organization when vital interests were at stake, while only about 40 percent of Europeans said they would do so."

The childish, self-absorbed Europeans have already forgotten that they themselves bypassed the UN just 4 short years ago to wage war on Serbia at French President Chirac's urging...

[Welsh Rabbit]

I'm only a casual runner (about twenty miles a week). I started about a year ago. I eventually want to run a marathon and I know that will require a more vigrous running schedule than I have now. However, completing a marathon and winning a marathon are two entirely different matters...

[Malesherbes]

I was in Poland a couple of years ago when Czech president Havel visited. He used an interpreter. Poles say that Czech sounds like "baby talk" to them. Slovak is closer to Polish than Czech is.

"Mowimy po Polsku" is a good introduction and has audio tapes - published in Warsaw but available in this country. "First Year Polish" by Oscar Swan (Slavika Publishers) is published in the US and is good. Hugo's "Polish in 3 Months," is a good introduction.

I've been studying Polish and going to Warsaw since 1999 and still make a lot of mistakes, but the Poles really appreciate your learning their language and are very encouraging and helpful.

It's a great country with a great people.