Europe and America must stand united - the original letter.
Eight leaders rally 'new' Europe to America's side
Europe split as leaders back US on Iraq
Regards, Ivan
Posted on 01/30/2003 5:35:01 PM PST by MadIvan
By declaring their joint support of George W Bush eight states of the "New Europe" have read the riot act to the Franco-German couple who have long driven policy in the European Union.
Drafted by Spain's Jose Maria Aznar, the text of their collective article was a pointed rebuke to Germany's Gerhard Schröder and France's Jacques Chirac - labelled "Old Europe" by US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld - for thinking they alone represent Europe's collective will.
It is the latest example of the shifting centre of gravity in Europe, which would be reinforced if France and Germany were not part of a victorious coalition against Iraq.
Just a week ago, the audacious Franco-German plan for a twin-headed presidency of the EU was greeted with scorn by speaker after speaker in the Convention on the Future of Europe, all irked by the way Paris and Berlin seemed to imagine they had achieved a fait accompli. It followed a decision by EU finance ministers to castigate Germany for breaching the euro-zone's Stability Pact. They also issued an official "early warning" to France.
The failure of the German and French economies to cope with the rigours of the euro and economic downturn was a watershed. Easily ranked the world's number three and four in the late 1980s, they have slipped rapidly down the rankings.
The baton has passed to the English-speaking nations, enjoying a free-market revival over the past 15 years, transforming the power structure inside and outside the EU.
Britain's economy is now substantially bigger than that of France, and London is by far the richest city in Europe. The Irish are richer per capita than the Germans. The Spanish, enjoying their own spectacular revival in confidence after the self-imposed isolation of the Franco dictatorship, have aligned themselves with the Anglo-Saxons.
Holland and the Scandinavian states have embraced the internet age with a fervour matching California, and all have been through the labour market reforms that Paris and Berlin only talk about.
Together with the Poles, Czechs and Hungarians, all brimming with optimism, and can-do spirit, these nations form a "New Europe" of sorts, more or less coinciding with the core of pro-American states singled out for praise by Mr Rumsfeld, who dismissed France and Germany as the "Old Europe".
Tim Garton Ash, a European expert at St Anthony's College, Oxford, said the terms "new" and "old" confuse the issue.
"What we're really seeing is a 'new Germany' that is willing to stand up for its own national interest and viewpoint, which in this case is a combination of anti-war feeling and anti-Americanism. This is something we haven't seen before," he said.
Nor is "Old Europe" necessarily a good description for two countries that launched the most ambitious currency union ever seen a year ago and are now pushing for the wildly ambitious goal of a full judicial, military and diplomatic union of 15 states, with different languages and intense tribal loyalties, against all historical precedent.
Europe and America must stand united - the original letter.
Eight leaders rally 'new' Europe to America's side
Europe split as leaders back US on Iraq
Regards, Ivan
This is what Hitler wanted. Perhaps 'neo-National-Socialists' is a better description than 'Old Europe'.
Rumsfeld is far too intelligent for this to have been an "unwitting" comment. He knew exactly what he was doing, and exactly what he was saying - to France and Germany.
I repeat: "The Course of this great nation does not depend on the decisions of others." - President George W. Bush, State of the Union Address
Thanks !
Cheers,
knews hound
True enough. They've also always been cowards. Remember, they surrendered after a mere 6 weeks of fighting Adolf Hitler in WW2. If it wasn't for the good ol' USA, they'd be speaking German eating Sauerkraut and Sausage for dinner nightly now.
They've never properly thanked the USA properly (IMO) and they deserve the verbal SPIT IN THE EYE that Rumsfeld and President Bush have given them the last few days.
The cowards. All they can do is talk, yak and complain. Lord knows they can't fight worth a damn'. They're called "Euro-Trash" for a reason.
Yes, this is as fine an example of how the mentally handicapped deal with their problems - by writing articles which seek to deny reality. Britain's economy is so large that pensions go unpaid; hospitals and schools close, skilled professionals go to Germany and Saudi Arabia seeking work etc.
Oh yes, Ireland is richer per capita than Germany if you can't see past your pint of Guinness, which those suffering from "mad cow disease" should stay clear of anyway.
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