Attack European values if you want to win election for US President or at least the Republican nomination. The growing divide, perhaps now widest since Francois Mitterrand or at least George W Bush’s decision to invade Iraq, is more than just about electoral politics and symbolic rhetoric. However, it is a damaging concept to the Euro-Atlantic family and NATO, the most effective defense alliance for Europeans and Americans and perhaps beyond.
During his victory speech in New Hampshire, Mitt Romney did not once mention China or Iran or Venezuela or Cuba or Sudan, but he did speak of Europe, and in not so favorable tones especially when taking note of President Obama’s efforts to enhance ties with Europe in the post George W Bush era:
---“He (Obama) wants to turn America into a European-style entitlement society. We want to ensure that we remain a free and prosperous land of opportunity. This President takes his inspiration from the capitals of Europe; we look to the cities and small towns of America. President Obama wants to “fundamentally transform” America. We want to restore America to the founding principles that made this country great.”
Of Francois Mitterrand & his American Counterparts:
History has never been a strong suit for Presidential candidates, neither in US or Europe. Perhaps it is just that is something molded for the electoral expediency. However, it should be reminded that the American Founding Fathers were products of the Age of Enlightenment – a philosophy of European continent roots despite that it may have achieved its greatest manifestation in America and in context of the American Revolution and evolution. On the other end, I was a young Ambassador when I witnessed Francois Mitterrand’s efforts to undermine NATO in favor of some French led European Defense pact. That was also driven by domestic political consideration and an underlying sentiment that word “American” is inconsistent with "European."
The gap though is real. It ranges on several issues:
Commitment to International Criminal Court;
Environment & climate change;
Death penalty;
Middle East peace;
False choice between isolationism and militarism;
Women’s rights - pro-choice to birth control (see Rick Santorum & many in Republican field);
Social welfare net; and
Espresso or coffee in the afternoon (some Europeans just prefer siesta)!
New Europe is Also Europe:
However, lost in the rhetoric is how the two, Europe and America, are critical to each other facing the future and how they have shaped each others’ past. Warsaw, Prague and Ljubljana are also European capitals, grateful to the US for helping free them from Soviet/communist domination and now part of both the European Union and NATO. From Sarajevo to Kiev, there is still anticipation that same encouragement and dynamics that opened the door first to NATO (through Washington and neo-con influence) would also similarly deliver seat of equality in EU institutions.
Economic Complementarities:
Most foreign investments in the United States are European, and vice versa. The markets are most free and compatible on both continents. Of course Canada plays an important role in US defense and economics. However, even Canada has become merd in some campaign vernacular.
Europe’s image may be tarnished by the recent clumsiness in addressing the Eurozone crisis. The social welfare state may be dented by its extremes in places like Greece or Spain, but it is not discredited. It is a mistake for US citizens to see it in one homogeneous snapshot. Germany’s economy is as or more healthy than US, but it is country with lowest income inequality – in other words social programs, fair taxes and capitalist innovation work very well in some European capitals, even if it may be those places American tourists are least inclined to visit. Read: -“Is Eurozone or US in Greater Financial Turmoil?” -
diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/is-eurozone-or-us-in-greater-financial-turmoil-by-ambassador-mo/41996
Libertarian Bastion?
Unfortunately at least in some instances libertarian values may be more solidly in saddle in Europe’s cosmopolitan areas than where the notion of independent mindedness and mind your own business has its roots, America. While xenophobia and nationalism raise their head in as or perhaps even more ugly manner in Europe, sometimes it appears that the rule of law is embraced with greater value in UK’s courts and perhaps beyond.
From China to Yearning for Democratic Change – A Proven Alliance:
The challenges of the future may appear less than those of the recent past and the Soviet Union. However, when one puts the binoculars into the not so distant future:
---China is a rising giant with yet unrecognizable, perhaps unbounded ambitions, (China has already sought to drive wedge between US & Europe);
---Religious extremism is threat to open societies and secular principles of government;
---Russia is still in dynamic phase of evolution where both its democratic/free society soul and natural resources are at play.
---Turkey may not be invited or want to any longer join EU, but the glue that binds this key growing regional power to western alliance is NATO.
---Arab change deserves support and soft embrace from free world – division among democratic societies when challenged by autocrats as Bashir regime in Syria or Mugabe in Zimbabwe or Chavez in Venezuela deserves a consistent voice that encourages the rule of law and freedom.
The US/European relationship has evidenced its effectiveness in more subtle and direct measures. A free Libya is a direct by-product of that relationship which would not have been without coordination through NATO and beyond. New challenges and perhaps opportunities for free societies are already rising on the horizon.
By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey
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