U.S. must repair Iraq rift with Europe

Associated Press ^ | March 21, 2004 | HOPE YEN

[InterceptPoint]

The United States is losing credibility in Europe ...

Read no further. This is a misprint. It should read:

Europe is losing credibility in the U.S.

[jimbo123]

HOPE YEN
Associated Press
hyen@ap.org

[tjwmason]

That`s how most Euros see the situation:
The WOT and Iraq are just to different pairs of shoes.

I certainly do not perceive myself as European (I am an Englishman), but do see much of their attitude around. This is exactly correct, the two issues are presented as being utterly separate, at times even Afghanistan is presented as being separate from the W.o.T.

Given this European view, I would argue that it is best for the U.S. to co-operate with Europe where Europe is ready to co-operate. In other words, if Europe is willing to increase counter-terrorist intelligence sharing with the C.I.A. and M.I.5 then do so; it may save lives. If Europeans are unwilling to go along with U.S. policy on Iraq, then pay no attention to them. Do not allow them to alter policy, but welcome them whenever they wish to work with the U.S.

This Englishman is proud that my beloved country stands alongside the U.S. in the whole of the War on Terror, including Iraq.

[Hun in the sun]

"Yes, I do and you can keep blathering because my mind won't change about europe."

Thank you for honoring my attempt to explain...

Hun

[Kozak]

Did Biden say this or did he plagiarize it from a speech in Parliament?

[Hun in the sun]

"Europe is losing credibility in the U.S."

Today`s average Europeans could`t care less.
Moreover, most will see this as a kind of
commendation.

And, hey... don`t kill the bearer of a message
for the message :-)

[Cannoneer No. 4]

The psychology of weakness is easy enough to understand. A man armed only with a knife may decide that a bear prowling the forest is a tolerable danger, inasmuch as the alternative - hunting the bear armed only with a knife - is actually riskier than lying low and hoping the bear never attacks. The same man armed with a rifle, however, will likely make a different calculation of what constitutes a tolerable risk. Why should he risk being mauled to death if he doesn't need to?

[Hun in the sun]

Thank you for confirming my point...
It`s the most important difference in
the U.S. and Europe`s point of view.


"This Englishman is proud that my beloved country stands alongside the U.S. in the whole of the War on Terror, including Iraq."

This German is proud that my country stands alongside the U.S. in the whole of the War on Terror, except Iraq.

My regards to you,
Hun

[sarasmom]

We thank you for your support.

[McGavin999]

What is wrong with these people, why are they all so needy? They think that if we are not loved by the europeans it's all over for us. Good grief, they are either with us or with the terrorists. By the way they are acting, I'm beginning to suspect they are with the terrorists.

If they don't want to join us in the terror war because of Iraq, then fine, we'll just stop all flights to europe and let them stew in their own terrorist juices.

[Eccl 10:2]

If we capitulate even one angstrom unit to the Euroweenies, they will only lord it over us and try for even more. They are practicing political terrorism. Any weakness we show will only be leveraged for THEIR political advantage and we will get no credit. I say f$$$ 'em and start taking the oil until they come around to our side.

No weakness, no capitulation, no surrender. Never. Lead, don't follow.

[sarasmom]

We neither want nor need you in Iraq, but thanks anyway.
Do go clean up the little mess Europe and the UN made in Kosovo,that is if you people can handle that by yourselves, now.
I did not want the USA involved in that fiasco either, so I do understand countries not wishing to participate in various wars that they do not perceive as in their own best interests.

[Hun in the sun]

"We neither want nor need you in Iraq, but thanks anyway."

Yep, but you need us in Europe.
Last time I studied a map, Ramstein, Landstuhl
and Frankfurt AFB were still in Germany.

"Do go clean up the little mess Europe and the UN made in Kosovo,that is if you people can handle that by yourselves, now."

Absolutly correct, agreed. Kosovo was and is a shame.

"I did not want the USA involved in that fiasco either, so I do understand countries not wishing to participate in various wars that they do not perceive as in their own best interests."

Concerning the common opinion here, it`s not a
matter of "interests".
WWII is still DEEP in our (european) common
memory. And in our (german) case, Reeducation
has been obviously VERY effective... you wanted
to destroy militarism in Germany, now pls don`t
complain about the result :o)

Hun

[cweese]

"Yep, but you need us in Europe"

...keep dreaming hun...

[JLS]

There is so much to say about this:

1. So unmentioned about Spain is that they somehow managed to sit out WWII with a fascist government. Not pulling their own weight spared damage them much 50 years ago, why would not a large segment of the Spanish public not hope to do the same now? Free riding is always attractive.

2. Europe at one time was a bunch of important countries. Now it is basically ONE country. The EU is one country with the temporary confusion of different foreign policies. I suspect that will change soon.

3. That Eurpoe is essentially one country makes them one of many and rather than several of many. That makes them far less important. Also the fall of the Soviet Empire makes Europe less important. From a US point of view, the important countries of the world today are China, UK, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Russia, India, Pakistan, Europe, Brazil etc. Europe is well down the list. They pose no risk. They are medium sized. They are a big trading partner, but due to their own choices not one that is growing fast.

So the reaction of the Americans on this site is right. Relatively unimporant Europe needs to mend its fences with the worlds only Superpower. America does not need to be excessively worried about a bug that at one time was more important than it is now.

[Hun in the sun]

Get real.

Hun

[sarasmom]

I have been stationed at or visited each of the bases you cited.
I want the USA to pull out of all of them.
As I understand it, negotiations are well underway for patially doing just that, except for some unknown reason(sarcasm) your government is putting up a fuss about a more complete US force withdrawal.
Perhaps you should petition them on this issue.I would certainly welcome your support on the matter.

[Hun in the sun]

Thank you for one of the rare reasonable comments
here.

Please allow to comment your posting tomorrow,
even an "Old European" needs some sleep ;o)

Just let me say that I don`t agree with you on
everything you wrote, but it`s an interesting
base for a discussion.

If WE loose the ability to communicate, we`ll
really have a problem.

Hun

[bert]

Europe must comform to our view or be swept away by the incoming historical tide.

America is the bright future. Europe is a dimming illusion of the past.

[Truth29]

Bush should beware of McCain. His goal is the defeat of the GOP, either by joining the Kerry ticket or by sabotage of the Republican campaign. He will use the 9/11 investigation, his access to military intelligence, and his appeal to the wobbly middle to throw his support to Kerry. Bush continues to operate under the delusion that McCain wants Bush to win. He will pay dearly for his mistake.