PrintJune 18, 2013
What a difference 5 summers can make!
President Obama will be in Europe this week. He will be greeted by Europeans who didn't get the "hope and change" that they were looking for.
Don't be surprised if the White House theme song is Barry Manilow's "Trying to get that feeling again."
This is an amazing quote from The Washington Post:
""People in Europe were looking for a political redeemer," said Jan Techau, the director of the European center of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "Those expectations, of course, were greatly exaggerated. Soon it became clear, as it is now, that he is simply an American president with all of the ugly power politics that the position involves.""
Looking for a political redeemer? A political redeemer to do what?
Let me say this to my European friends.
First, Obama told you what you wanted to hear. As they say in Texas, he was "all hat and no cattle". He spoke in generalities but never put forth a governing strategy.
And it won't get any better when the Europeans learn that Democrats are not crazy about more free trade agreements.
Frankly, I'm amazed that they fell for this in Europe. It speaks volumes about their political immaturity and need for some serious self evaluation.
Second, Europe's problems wont be fixed by "an American redeemer", no matter how many anti-Bush statements he makes. Europe has structural problems, from high taxes to a lousy business climate in too many countries and birth rates that won't preserve their culture.
How bad is Europe? Chancellor Merkel is telling the unemployed to move.
Third, stop talking and do something proactive about Guantanamo. Europe should offer to take some of the men at GITMO and move them to their prisons. Otherwise, stop complaining!
Fourth, NATO has turned into the US, UK and a bunch of countries who aren't carrying their weight. Remember Libya? The French couldn't put a couple of jets in the air without the US Mediterranean Fleet. NATO's defenses are in bad shape, a very bad signal if we have to do a "no fly zone" in Syria!
Yes, President Obama will be in Europe over the next few days. And he will meet a public who is disenchanted with him.
