June 2, 2005
INNIE OR OUTIE?:
Reach out, America (Mortimer Sellers, JUNE 2, 2005, International Herald Tribune)
[W]hat many Americans do not yet understand is that rejection of the European constitution also poses a serious threat to the interests of the United States and to the American project of human rights and democracy that has brought so many benefits to Europeans and to the rest of the world since the end of World War II.
I spent the two weeks leading up to the referendums speaking about the probable results with lawyers and professors of constitutional law in France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain. Their nearly universal consensus was that although the no vote would be bad for Europe, it would be worse for trans-Atlantic relations. Unless the United States acts quickly to strengthen its ties with Europe, the Western alliance will begin to break down, recreating the conditions that led to the two world wars last century.
Many of the Europeans I spoke with seem poised on the edge of two possible new attitudes. The "old" Europe, led by France and Germany, can turn inward, in opposition to America and the less wealthy Eastern European states. Or all of Europe can join the United States in a broader, looser coalition built on the values of democracy, human rights and economic development for all.
We've saved them too enough, time to put them out of our misery. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 2, 2005 6:07 AM
No need to pull the feeding tube on old europe - its moribund and will auto-destruct. It may flail as it expires, but poses no threat to us. to help things along we should make the energetic, high-value human capital of old europe an irrestable offer to abandon the derelict and come on over. New europe has a hope and we should bolster it for reasons of justice, prudence, and our national advantage. Mr. Sellers is a captive of cocktail circuit thinking. Let him and his fellows enjoy the satisfactions of the lounge on the Titanic.
Posted by: Luciferous at June 2, 2005 11:21 AMWhat is it with European professors of constitutional law that they need some kind of (Soviet) Union to keep down their desire to exterminate their neighbors ? The fear-mongering about new wars in Western Europe is deranged. Who's going to fight those wars ? The 70-year old Germans against the 71-year old French ?
The only chance for new wars on European soil is when a future Turkish nation (Germany) decides to attack a future Arab nation (France) to settle some old Middle Eastern scores, or vice versa. But that won't be the problem of the Europeans anymore, as they will be extinct by then.
Posted by: Peter at June 2, 2005 11:24 AMUnless the United States acts quickly to strengthen its ties with Europe, the Western alliance will begin to break down, recreating the conditions that led to the two world wars last century.
Trans: "Do what we want or we'll kill one another. Not you, one another." This reminds me of that old Harvard Lampoon cover with the cute dog and the message: "Buy This Magazine or We'll Shoot This Puppy."
Posted by: Peter B at June 2, 2005 12:45 PMWhat are they going to fight with, steak knives?
Posted by: Sandy P. at June 2, 2005 1:01 PMWe have to strengthen our ties with them? Buddy, you got that one bass-ackward. It's up to them to repair their ties with us, if we let them. Personally, I'm not to keen on strapping myself to the Titanic's rail.
Peter: "Soviet" is the perfect adjective for what the whole EU project has become, and I predict it will turn out as successful as the original model.
Posted by: Mikey at June 2, 2005 1:01 PMAny comment from John F. Kerry?
Posted by: jim hamlen at June 2, 2005 1:49 PMSandy,
They are already trying to ban pointy knives. It will have to be cleavers versus cricket bats.