18 August 2004

Paying the piper

[source, source]

“There is no question the Bush administration is unpopular in France, as it is across Europe,” said the director of the French Center on the United States, Guillaume Parmentier.“Bush himself is deeply unpopular. He is perceived as being non-presidential; even his demeanor makes Europeans uneasy…”

…”On the streets of Paris, his candidacy is being welcomed with open arms.

“He [Senator John Kerry] is very much admired in France,” said a municipal office worker, Patrick Forestier, as he strolled with his lunch through the Latin Quarter. “It seems like he will be more sympathetic to Europe… .And of course anyone who is opposed to Bush will be popular with us.”

A shop worker on Boulevard St-Germain, Dominique Van Oudenhove, said Mr. Kerry seems the perfect antidote to four years of Mr. Bush.

“It is so important to have a president who knows Europe, whose spirit is open to its people and culture. Bush is so closed to the world.With Kerry there is a hope that we can start getting along with the United States again,” she said.

Mrs. Borde said the French see in Mr. Kerry the kind of leader they are more accustomed to.

“He is the closest thing that you will have to a French politician, with a certain diplomacy, a certain elegance,” she said.“He is more like a leader would be in Europe,” Mr. Parmentier said. Asked in what way, he laughed and replied: “Well, he doesn’t look Texan.”

Here is the fruit of the anti-Americanism that’s been running rampant in Europe. The American citizenry is increasing either uncaring or openly hostile to European opinion, to the extent that something like this might well serve as an advertisement in favor of President Bush.

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We're studying the dust cloud

Ariks describes the likely reaction of the EUlite to Iran nuking Israel:

The EU has set up a commission to inquire about the nuclear missle that has been fired upon occupied territories and Israel. The EU urges all the involved parties to show restraint and not to draw early conclusion until the source of the nuclear missile has been verifed. The EU strongly condems the continued cycle of violence. Early reports suggested that large parts of the Palestinian civilian population was not instructed and protected from the strike. Should these reports be true the EU condems Israel in all possible form for failing to protect the civilian population in the occupied territories.

I’m not so sure - that seems a bit wishy-washy for the EU. Why would they wait for verification before condeming Israel for it’s blatant disregard of the lives and property in the occupied territories?

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