Free Republic

BERLIN, Nov. 19 - European leaders have reacted to the nomination of Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state with public optimism and private skepticism about the possibilities of a new start after the difficult days leading up to the war in Iraq. "Here's a prediction," Josef Joffe, co-editor of the weekly Die Zeit wrote in an editorial on Thursday, "relations with Europe will get better," adding that they couldn't get worse than they were in 2002 and 2003. But as Mr. Joffe's slightly barbed prediction suggests, for close and easy relations to develop between the United States and much of...

Many governments and populations around the globe are rooting for Sen. John Kerry in tomorrow's U.S. presidential election. Less noticed is that for reasons of trade, shared views of the war on terrorism and sheer realpolitik, President Bush has some big and unlikely names in his corner, too. In Russia, Japan and Iran, Mr. Bush has received barely veiled government support for his re-election campaign -- a breach of the usual diplomatic etiquette whereby governments don't comment on other countries' electoral choices. Meanwhile, Chinese, Indian and Mexican leaders are quietly hoping for a Bush win, too, as are Italian Prime...