Europeans Are Not Cowards. It's That We Know War.

The International Herald Tribune ^ | January 28, 2004 | Fletcher Crossman

[quidnunc]

Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina – Listening to Richard Perle on the radio recently was a little hard for a European like me. Perle, a former chairman of the Defense Policy Board, stated that European nations "do not have the most courageous of instincts," with the implication that America has to intervene in international affairs because Europeans are afraid to. Perle's comments take place against a chorus of similar sentiments to be heard on America's airwaves in recent months.

An average listener would be forgiven for believing that Europeans are a cowardly bunch of ungrateful wimps, whose anti-American bombast is a merely a cover for their complicity with evil regimes.

It may be true. But as a European myself — I'm from Britain — it doesn't feel true. And I wonder if our cultural disconnect comes from two very different experiences of war.

-snip-

[wizardoz]

Oh, we know Europeans know wars. We've watched them start plenty, which is why I don't know where they get off telling us that they can do it but we can't, without their permission. And we notice they tend to s**t where they eat, so we wonder why they think they're smarter than we are.

[VaBthang4]

"Europeans are a cowardly bunch of ungrateful wimps, whose anti-American bombast is a merely a cover for their complicity with evil regimes.

It may be true...."

No, it is true. And stop trying to lump Britain in with Europeans.

Coward!

[MarkeyD]

And I wonder if our cultural disconnect comes from two very different experiences of war.

Yes, we win most of ours.

[PackerBoy]

... oh, and about having American save our sorry butts a couple of times.

[Argus]

The only Europeans who "know war" in the sense intended are those who were old enough in 1945 to feel the direct impact. Otherwise, they don't know war any better than American civilians do. And probably not nearly as well as those American civilians in the vicinity of the World Trade Center on the morning of 9/11/2001.

[Bigg Red]

Marking to read later for all of the great FR come-backs.

[Lazarus Starr]

You Hit the nail on the head wizardoz. I don't mind europeans being anti-war. I mind them saying they are when they obviously aren't. Their wars are important and ours are empire building wars for oil. They're not only cowardly; They are ignorant and base.

-Laz

[dyed_in_the_wool]

The problem is that European's don't know how to finish wars.
That's what we're here for.

God bless and protect our fine troops.

[mr.pink]

Perle, a former chairman of the Defense Policy Board, stated that European nations "do not have the most courageous of instincts,"

Remarkable arrogance once again from one of the world's foremost warmongers.

I keep doing internet seaches for his military resume, but it never does seem to appear....It does seems that he is of an age where surely there was a war available for him to strut his stuff, and shame the cowards.

[Joe 6-pack]

The next time one must subject themself to an arrogant european, simply ask what country they are from. When they reply, plead ignorance and ask, "Now, is that one of the countries whose ass we saved, or whose ass we kicked?"

[Monti Cello]

Ha! What a perfect demonstration of Perle's point.

We are showing the foresight to nip the next one in the bud, rather than wait 20 years before Europe gets overrun by the next band of world-conquerors, and Americans are expected to clean up the mess.

And what to make of Kosovo? Europe was more than happy to cede the role of peacemaker to the US. Now it doesn't suit their interests. Tough nuts.

[68 grunt]

I prefer not to be forgiven for believing that Europeans are a cowardly bunch of ungrateful wimps, whose anti-American bombast is a merely a cover for their complicity with evil regimes. I'd also not like to be forgiven for recognizing them as socialist, wannabe commies, whose gubmints can't be trusted.

[Kirkwood]

I think Americans were deeply and permanently changed by our Civil War. We learned of the depravity of war far sooner than the Europeans (and some have yet to learn this).

[jpsb]

Worth repeating

No, it is true. And stop trying to lump Britain in with Europeans.

The Brits may live in Europe but they damn sure ain't European. The Brits have balls.

[gobucks]

American soldiers tend not to be afraid of being laughed at...and based on my conversations w/ Europeans, yes, the war years informed them to an extent. But, the lack of courage is not due to being afraid of bullets then over there.

The "modern" Europe is a Lord-of-the-Flies land of comedy, and people for the most part are utterly terrified of being laughed at if they say or support something that is viewed as "wrong". Much of European history is about how wrong they have been about so much. Hasn't changed much.

Being laughed at is seen as a flag .... sort of like the guy on Invasion of the Body Snatchers, where he points at the last non-invaded body, and makes a hideous screech to alert the other aliens of the target.

In this case, most Europeans point and say, cuckoo...cuckoo, while twirling their fingers about their temples. And the laughter thus breeds the cowardice... That's why indecisiveness plagues this continent.

[Joe Marine 76]

I have also grown tired of these cowards, particularly, the French. Bye the way, do you know why the Champs Elysees is line with trees? Ans: To shade German soldiers as they march into Paris.

[onedoug]

Europeans think themselves too sophisticated to admit that evil is real.

[Chi-townChief]

"But World War II was mercifully different for America. Despite its debilitating losses - and its astonishing selflessness in prioritizing the European theater ahead of its own mission in the Pacific ..."

Of course, now they'd be saying: "Why is the US attacking Germany instead of Japan. They have no proof linking Hitler to December 7th!" And Susie Sarandon would be on TV: "I'd like to know what Germany ever did to us!"

[Lucky Dog]

They [Europeans] still live in the shadow of two unthinkable wars, and have learnt that patriotism and courageous instincts have too often resulted in corruption, destruction and death.

This typical liberal “bent” logic. Rather than attribute the “two unthinkable wars” to the real sources such as ideology and economic clashes, the liberals cite “patriotism and courageous instincts.” There seems to no shortage of Lenin’s “useful idiots,” especially, the liberal variety, running around Europe.