:Inurop

George W. Bush, 43rd  president of the USA, Connecticut-born, famous oilman, governor of Texas between 1994 and 1998, son of former president, started his reelection campaign similarly Bill Clinton did in 1996. He has never officially announced he is running again but he obviously did. “It looks we have a winner in the Republican primary”, he pointed out to laughter. “The other party’s nomination is still playing out. The candidates are an interesting group with diverse opinions: tax cuts, and against tax cuts, for NAFTA and against NAFTA, for the Patriot Act and against the Patriot Act, in favor of liberating Iraq and against liberating Iraq. And that’s just one senator from Massachusetts.”

Bush aides have been insisting that he would present a vision of an ownership society. That he would differentiate between his programs that bring choice and accountability as opposed to Democrat’s programs that, in their view, bring either of these. However, Bush did not take the opportunity to make this case in his State of the Union address. Nor did he mention the ownership society in his February 19th speech as aides were foretelling he would. He made the by now familiar case with tax cuts instead. So far he has signed plenty of bills that changed lives of thousands of Americans. They have favored some, damaged others. After he is sworn in January 2005, a new era of American politics will begin. What does it mean for Europe? Will it benefit from Bush’s reelection or will it lose?

Europe, generally supported, Clinton/Gore democratic socialist ideology and vehemently opposed Christian-right, Bush’s conservative, anti-gay marriage, neo-conservative politics. Together with the democratic-left in America they kept their fingers crossed during the entire presidential battle and were very hesitant to do anything to enhance his 2004 reelection despite the fact that Bush was warning that this is only to jeopardize their prosperity as well as security interests. Before Bush declared the international war on terrorism and declared the war on Iraq and Afghanistan Europeans have developed a hostile, self-righteous, attitude toward Bush on policy issues.

Following September 11th, there was an empathy, which now has worn as political and ideological realities resurface. Academics as well as other analysts generally agreed that: “winning the next election or returning to power will lead to a mentality lessening the seriousness of the moment leading to obstructionism rather than cooperation on security and economic policies.” The predominant agenda of leftist, democratic, socialist mindset simply want to make him look bad. The major question remains, however, is this a right decision? Shouldn’t we just “forgive” him no matter how uncomfortable we feel while dealing with him, leave this selfish idea aside and focus on dealing with broader, global issues?

The leaders of the European Union, including for example Greek prime minister Costas Simitis, at that time president of European Commission, or EU foreign policy coordinator Javier Solana arrived in Washington D.C. in 2003 for a summit at the time when the relations with the Bush administration were “under strain.” The purpose of their mission was to rebuild the transatlantic relationship after the Iraq invasion many European governments openly opposed. “There is much more to the US-EU relations than military action in Iraq,” led his voice heard one of the senior EU official. He also added that there are many contentious trade issues between these two world’s leading economic superpowers. “The EU has moved to defuse some of the issues in relation to terrorism by offering to sign an extradition treaty with the US, and by backing plans for US cargo inspections in EU ports,” commented British BBC. On the broader issue, however, there are no firm commitments so far on how far will Europe contribute on cost of post-war Iraq reconstruction.

Two major US-EU projects are currently under way. US is collaborating with Europe and the UN to contain Iran’s nuclear programme. EU is also one of the four parties involved in the roadmap framing for peace negotiation in the Middle East. The EU foreign affairs commissioner Javier Solana wanted “tougher, more coherent EU foreign policy, which accepts some elements of preemption.”  Not all sorts of cooperation are supported by European citizens. On his first trip to Europe after his recent reelection, Bush faced angry demonstrators trying to repudiate him back to his homeland. Europeans are generally angry that his administration turned his back on the Kyoto treaty on tackling with global warming issues.

Despite a huge volume of transatlantic trade as well as political cooperation between Europe and the United States of America there exists seemingly immense cultural divide. From the issues of defence and the environment through abortion, same sex marriage to death penalty it seems there is increasingly growing rebellion against American values and culture. ‘Can the gulf between two western power blocks be bridged or is the transatlantic alliance coming to an end? Is America thanks to the attutude of Bushe’s administration out of touch with the rest of the world? Europeans are heavily protesting against every Bush’s visit of the old continent, calling him a “terrorist” and many American citizens are equally depressed.

Phil from Boston remraks: “It is all regarding Europe not being a military super-power, claiming that the EU could not exist without the US! Only the USA is INTERESTED in being a military super-power! Despite what the UK government (the US’ lapdog, might I add) thinks, the REST of the EU in no way “needs” the USA, nor their interference in European affairs. Two thumbs up to France and Germany for giving the two-fingered salute to George Bush. Not all Americans like this president, nor their government. I am hoping to soon become an EU citizen myself.”

Šárka Havránková

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