Posted on 06/14/2008 5:35:33 AM PDT by ETL
Over the past two years, there has been a noticeable shift in European politics toward the center and right of the political spectrum. It began with conservative electoral victories in Germany and Poland in 2005, and was followed by similar electoral results in Sweden in 2006 and in Finland and France in 2007. This shift has led to a European political environment that is much more amenable to partnering with the United States to address mutual foreign policy challenges.
Prior to 2005, European foreign policy efforts were led by France under President Jacques Chirac, a Gaullist who worked tirelessly to make a French-led Europe a sort of multi-national superpower that could rival the United States. European -- American relations became increasingly strained as French-led Europe was perceived in the United States as being anti-anything American, to the point of obstructionism in international forums like the United Nations.
In 2005, American credibility was suffering and domestic and international criticism of President Bush's foreign policy was at an all time high with the security situations in Afghanistan and Iraq rapidly deteriorating. The United Nations seemed hopelessly lost in its search for a united front concerning Iran's nuclear development program, and the Security Council couldn't manage to agree on anything more than meaningless statements that lacked any real substance.
When Angela Merkel was elected to replace German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, a man who made no secret of his distaste for American leadership concerning international relations and foreign policy, Germany took a sharp turn, quickly warming up to the United States and pushing hard for a European landscape that featured Germany, and not France, as the leading power. Other countries in Europe soon began to fall in line with the move toward better relations with the United States, with the most recent being France after the election of conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy, who defeated socialist Segolene Royal and essentially ended leftist domination of French politics.
Since Sarkozy came to power, France has followed Germany's diplomatic lead, slowly improving relations with the United States. But Sarkozy, not willing to defer to German leadership for all European concerns, has asserted his willingness to work with the United States on important foreign policy matters. In an August 27 foreign policy speech, Sarkozy broke sharply from his predecessor and spoke harshly of groups and nations responsible for much of the insecurity and unrest in the world today. But his most severe criticism was reserved for Iran, whose continued development of nuclear technology he called the "most pressing" issue for the international community. Then, just this week, on September 17, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner raised the possibility of war with Iran over the nuclear issue when he said, "We have to prepare for the worst, and the worst is war."
Additionally, France has recently called for tougher European sanctions on Iran if Ahmadinejad and the clerics who pull his puppet strings refuse to work with other nations to resolve the impasse over the nuclear program. And Strategic Forecasting, a private geopolitical intelligence company based in Austin, Texas, reported that the Netherlands support the push for strong European sanctions, saying that if the United Nations is not able to take meaningful action, the European Union is "morally obligated" to do so.
http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/guest/2007/gr_09241.shtml
Part two:
http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/guest/2007/gr_09242.shtml
Berlusconi has remained one of Bush's staunchest allies in Europe over the years."
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/12/bush.italy/index.html?eref=edition_europe
I’d be satisfied with a pro-American America.
Europe is more pro-American than the U.S. Congress.
Don't blame George Bush for anti-Americanism
Posted on Saturday, June 14, 2008 7:49:30 AM (EDT)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031007/posts
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