Comments on: Europe’s Pro-Obama Bubble Has Sprung Leaks

By: Rambie

Rambie — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:41:00 +0000

Like him or not, he's the POTUS, not the President of Europe. and as someone said, “President Obama correctly defended the best interests of the United States – unfortunately that does not always coincide with what Europeans want”

By: CStanley

CStanley — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 02:16:33 +0000

Apparently Obama's expression of support for Turkey to be welcomed as an EU member met with a chilly response from French and German leaders, too.

By: DaGoat

DaGoat — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 02:01:08 +0000

I was thinking about this the other day. While Obama's popularity with Europe is a boon, it hasn't yet translated into much that's tangible. Maybe that's a callous way to look at it since being friends instead of enemies is a goal in itself, but from a pragmatic standpoint little has changed in basic foreign policy and Obama's popularity is more of a nicety than a true advantage.

By: pachigordo

pachigordo — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 23:48:52 +0000

President Obama correctly defended the best interests of the United States – unfortunately that does not always coincide with what Europeans want. The tone of the prior Bush administration was abysmal but some of its proposals were the only ones possible. I cannot see the U.S. continuing to spend or increase its deficits to defend European countries from others. They have to step up to that task or accept the risks. Europe has no single foreign policy but over 20 of them, within and without the E-U. If it wants a greater say, it has to unify and pay for some of its foreign policy needs. I would hope President Obama does not give into pointless European screams/tirades – they have to stand up and fund their own best interests. I think Russia is a bigger psychological threat than any military threat – it will continue to be nasty about natural gas but for financial reasons more than political. I am more concerned about the U.S. relationship with Mexico, Cuba, South America and China than with old Europe. While I lived and traveled to Europe many times, the U.S. should not care if Europe is “happy” or not. Our principle goals during the next few years are rebuilding our internal infrastructures, healthcare, and finding a new world defense and environmental strategy. Europe grew prosperous and lazy under prior decades of American defense umbrellas. The world has changed and so must Europeans. Best wishes from dysfunctional Arizona, Marc Pascal a blogger who has been silent for awhile due to the holidays & tax season.