Greeks the EU's Most Fervent Anti-Americans: Poll (And the big, fat Greek horse…)

EUbusiness ^ | February 2, 2004 | Unattributed

[quidnunc]

More than any other nation in the European Union, Greeks believe that US foreign policy damages world peace and does not help fight terrorism, according to an EU-wide poll, the Greek part of which was published here Monday.

Eighty-five percent of Greeks said the United States played a negative role for world peace, against a EU-average of 53 percent, according to autumn figures of the Eurobarometer, a EU-sponsored, periodical survey across the bloc's 15 current member states.

Washington's policies also played a negative role in the struggle against terrorism, three in four Greeks said, compared with a 37-percent average across the EU.

-snip-

[mark502inf]

Home to the 2004 Summer Olympics...... if they ever get the facilities completed.

The Greek Prime Minister visited China last year. Since Greece is hosting the 2004 Olympics and China is hosting the 2008 Olympics, his hosts took him to their Olympic site. The Chinese explained their plans and how hard they were working and said they thought they would be completely ready by 2006. To which the Greek Prime Minster replied that Greece, too, would be ready by 2006. (rimshot)

[BushisTheMan]

With the attitude of the Greeks, I hope our athletes are well protected. If it were me, I definitely would skip the Olympics.

[longtermmemmory]

I have been there three times last year. It is not anti-US the way this article portrays. You also have to remember there are more Greeks in the USA of Greek decent than Greeks in Greece. Most US Greeks have some form of connection with the old country, whether it is family or property.


There is no point in stopping the fun people are going to have over this, so insult away.

AS for those who think the Greeks want the USSR please rethink that. Between 1945 and 1951 Greece was ripped by a civil war where the communists tried to take over the country by force of arms. The commies killed villages where the population refused to submit to communist partisans. Greece as a nation is anti-comunist by blood not just words.

Is there a commie party, yes. Just as the USA has a crackpot green party. In fact the commie member in their parlement is from the region the partisans killed off villagers.

The survey should have also included how much Greeks view the EU as a threat to they national sovereignty.

Thankfully the conservatives are slated to increase their majority in the upcomming elections on March 7, 2004. BTW the conservative candidate for Prime Minister of Greece was born in the USA. (he is expected to win and give the conservatives the prime ministership and the parlament. Now the conservatives control parlament but not the primeministership.)

[longtermmemmory]

When I was there they were armed swat like men on every corner in major areas. The security is being handled by an israeli secrity company. They also have the Americans installing radiation detectors.

[GeraldP]

There is a saying in the Balkans that Greece is "the wife of the East and the lover of the West".

[longtermmemmory]

homosexuality did not come from greeks. You can trace it back to the egyptians.

The Greeks also wrote that homosexuallity was a choice an you were not born that way.

just FYI.

[ffusco]

Re: Greeks and Italians.

The Greeks believed anyone not Greek was a barbarian.

The Romans believed anyone who didn't shave and bathe was a barbarian.

This attitude still persists.

[Constantine XIII]

Lol, it isn't like he lit of the grail-shaped beacon. :p

[longtermmemmory]

The junta was in the works as far back as 1962. They were lining up the insiders to take over. The Junta actually got a lot of infrastructure work done. They traded one corruption for a junta.

Many of the people who say it was the CIA were the communists who tried to launch a simultaneous counter junta to take over the governemnt themselves. The accusation of the communists centers around the university riot which was put down. Many communists were killed there. There is a "claim" of a pictures of an ununiformed man with a machine gun on a universtity roof. I have not seen the picture, and everything seems to be speculation.

The Greeks are also pissed due any number of reasons for having their interest looked over. I trace much of it as a legacy of the incompetence of Albright.

It is a differnt world in that country. One time zone, a population of only 10 million people, different pace of life. Albanians to the north illegaly entering making our mexican problem look like a cakewalk. Turkey to the east constantly challenging airspace and territorial waters. It realy makes you appreciate the USA when you see the predicament other countries face just due to geography.

[longtermmemmory]

how about just a little bit of peril?

[longtermmemmory]

The "in the works" was from Greek politicians in the various branches of government.

[Snickersnee]

When I did S-2 things in USAREUR, we always considered Greece to be the "seventh member of the Warsaw Pact," NATO membership to the contrary notwithstanding.

[longtermmemmory]

side note: like the tag line.

how about: Where are we going? Why are we in a hand basket? Why is it so HOT!?

[demnomo]

My fencing pals were pretty shocked and disgusted by the local sentiment. They are very concerned about terrorism directed at the US, British and Israeli teams this summer. One of them has actually asked his family not to come because of security fears and the animosity displayed towards Americans.

I'm not visiting Greece, Germany or France anytime soon, that's for sure.

[americanbychoice]

I have been to greece on business at least 30 times. It is an absolutely georgeous country. They are very proud people.
Having said that, I had noticed anti- american feelings for the last 30 years. The only exception is when they expect you to apy them for goods or services, they can be the most charming people. :-)

[longtermmemmory]

I am planning on going. Our family and friends have all been telling us to come.

Greece's ecconomy is heavily dependent on tourism and American tourism is best. (the french and germans are cheepskates) Those people do not show animosity to americans. Only idiot student groups.

Every Greek family has some realtive in the USA.

[monday]

"Boy wish my country had enough free time on its hands to bitch and moan about such silliness."

lol, if you think about it, I think you will agree that people in this country have time to bitch and moan about things just as silly or worse. Face it, most people in this world are cry babies.

[longtermmemmory]

The afternoon siesta is not just norm, it is the LAW. Within municipal limits stores are requied to be closed between 1:30 and 5 three weekdays and closed completly after 2:00 the other two days. (esentially saturday hours)
It does vary very slightly by business. Supermarkets, restaurants, and newspaper kiosks for example.

The country has a passion for cafe debates. (kind of a low tech FR.)

[the FLY]

Greece is just another european country where the population would rather believe that the Americans are the cause of their ills and not the incompetent socialists running the country currently.(doesn't this describe most of europe?) I have been to Greece many times, and every year it gets worse. Don't blame them too harshly, they are victims of the corruption of the PASOK a$$holes.

[Clemenza]

Greeks still have better olive oil though. They also know how to grill real well, something the Italians haven't perfected yet. Other than that, Italy has Greece (and the rest of Europe) beat hands down for cuisine.

Remember, the "New York" of the Greek world was Syracuse, which is in SICILY.