February 6, 2008
NO MORE FREE LUNCH?:
'Next President Will Demand More From Europe': Karsten Voigt, the German government's coordinator for US relations, tells SPIEGEL ONLINE in an interview that he expects the next president to make greater demands on America's European allies, regardless of whether Clinton, Obama or McCain clinches the presidency. (Der Spiegel, 2/06/08)
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Results coming in from the Super Tuesday primaries indicate that Hillary Clinton is ahead. What would a President Clinton mean for American foreign policy, in contrast with Barack Obama?Voigt: Obama and Clinton embody different political styles and different generations. But their positions on foreign and security policy are very close. They will increase the power and the appeal of the USA. That also means they will approach their European allies more. That will be linked to demands for stronger involvement -- be they civil, military, regional or global. Europe will become an increasingly important force in solving problems.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: What kind of bilateral and multilateral relations would you expect from a Republican President John McCain?
Voigt: McCain's personal experiences have given him very firm convictions in foreign and security policy. He wants a very strong US role -- a stance he has in common with the Democrats. But he puts more emphasis on military security. Just like the Democrats he would urge the Europeans to make a stronger contribution in civilian terms, but especially in military terms.
Sure, they'll ask Europe for more help, but the continent is dying so can't provide it. So the Anglosphere will keep doing it ourselves. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 6, 2008 6:39 AM
The notion that either Democrat would increase the power or the appeal of the US is ludicrous. You don't increase power by surrendering to nearly defeated islamofascist murderers. And you don't increase its appeal by telling the rest of the world that they can forget about making money in the US.
Posted by: Peter at February 6, 2008 9:22 AMEurope's got no fist in its glove.
Posted by: Luciferous at February 6, 2008 11:07 AMI think we're about to see how frail non-democratic societies' gov'ts (The EU, China) can't adjust to large acquistions and integration of large sovereign populations, swaths of territory, or nonmarket oriented economic growth.
If the EU or China can cope, then we'd be able to ask them for help on things, but if not they will become more focused internally, but will remember they have an international stage to voice their fears or concerns, and the anti-us media will eat it up and shout it from the roof tops everyday, while the US lumbers along, steady as she goes.
Posted by: KRS at February 6, 2008 2:06 PM