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Aug 15, 2002 Trouble is stirring on both sides of the ocean. Since the States saved our butts in 2 WW’s we always looked up to them as our Big Brother. Nothing could go wrong if they were there. Helping us… guiding us in the big bad world… Or could there? It’s safe to say that since 9-11 the world indeed has changed. Even between friends. Sure we are still on the same side, but the way things are approached are slowly pulling us apart. Are our objectives different? Not really. All sensible people, no matter on which side of the Atlantic, want peace and agree that certain things have to be done to achieve that. But as where Europe needed the guidance in the years after both World Wars, this time we see ourselves as equals to that Big Brother. The ‘sit back, keep quiet, we’ll deal with this’ attitude, which worked in the past, isn’t doing the job anymore. Europe has a voice now and wants it to be heard. The first time Europe really stood up to it’s Big Brother I think was in the early 80’s. Not the local governments rose to the occasion, but regular people all over Europe. A NATO plan to install multiple cruise missiles in almost every allied country led to massive demonstrations in every capital, from Amsterdam to Athens. Millions of people joined together to let not only our own governments, but the US too, know we didn’t want them. In the end resulting in, not only postponement but, calling of most of the planned placings. After that things returned to what had been routine over the years. Sure there were disagreements from time to time. Mostly about importing or exporting stuff from one side to the other, but during the Reagan and Bush (senior) years, combined with the falling of the Berlin Wall (read communism) Europe and the US were closer then ever. We joined hands fighting Saddam in Iraq; Slobo in Yugoslavia; and eventually Bin Laden wherever he was hiding. Climax to it all last year when he took it right into the US itself. There have always been sides to situations. People looking upon things from different sides of the story. America in Vietnam; the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, to name but a few. But after this attack everybody seemed on the same side. Everybody sensible anyway. Sharing grief, anger and amazement for something so off scale that even Hollywood couldn’t have written the plot if they wanted to. So what is going wrong then? Not our joined effort in trying to find the guy, altho the US is riding shotgun on that one. Seeing how European leaders react the main ‘problem’ is the attitude the US has when it comes to the steps that are going to be taken. Where it started of as yet another joined mission of NATO it is turning into a one-man-show. A couple of examples? Here you go: -Taking Al Qaida prisoners to Cuba and not recognizing their status as POW’s; -Making a list of ‘villain’ states, thus upsetting the fragile balance that was growing between North and South Korea; -Planning the fall of Saddam Hussein. It doesn’t seem to matter what Europe, or any other part of the world say or think (allied countries in the Middle East are very cautious too, especially over the effect that the fall of Saddam might have to the whole region), America is on a roll and doesn’t listen much to other opinions. Yes I said opinions. Nobody said so far that the plans are completely bad. But the ‘cowboy’ mentality belongs to the Old West and should stay there. At the moment even the strongest ally of the US in Europe, England, is beginning to raise its voice. English Prime Minister Tony Blair doesn’t agree with the plans that are being drawn up to topple the Iraqi regime. Neither does Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany, and who might think its mainly the Labor governments in Europe having problems forgets President Jacques Chirac of France, who was one of the first to voice his objections with the ‘logical next step’ America has in plan. Then why doesn’t America listen? Aren’t we supposed to be in this together? Your guess is as good as mine. It would be too easy to say that Bush is the main reason for it all. I don’t think so tho. Under Clinton there wouldn’t have been much change to the situation we are in now, or for a period under Gore, would he have won, for that matter. In my opinion it’s because the US isn’t used yet to having a strong ‘player’ who’s on the same side. Up till recently they always had to do the bulk alone, and now Europe is ready to take its place next to her. That will take some adjustments in their world vision, and the way they deal with it. Let’s just hope that the right balance is found before steps are taken which are hard to turn around. In my opinion a war against Iraq would be such a ‘bad’ step. Remember… It’s hard to put the ‘you know what’ back into the cow! Eventually Europe and the US will find each other again, I’m sure… somewhere in the middle. Both respecting the others way of dealing with situations and progressing from that with a mutual standpoint. After all… friends should be able to take some constructive criticism and help each other grow. So… America… Listen to what Europe has to say for a change, and Europe… prove you are an equal partner. Don’t make me put either of you in the corner of the world. ------------ Weekly Useless-Knowledge.com columnist, Michel van Lunteren, is a 40 year old socialist from The Netherlands and is active in local as well as national politics. Email Michel: mvanlunt@xs4all.nl Comment on this column in the forum. |
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