Europeans disapprove of Bush's policies

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS, AUG. 16. If the latest findings of a European opinion poll is any criterion, the divide between the U.S. and the European Union could be widening. It was revealed that four out of five citizens of Germany, France, Britain and Italy disapprove of the U.S. President, Mr. George W. Bush's conduct of foreign policy, which is seen as ``catering exclusively'' to U.S. interests. Hence, Europe's ties with the U.S. is rated as a new cause for concern.

Most European officials one talks to, overtly disapprove of Mr. Bush's foreign policy which is widely rated as ``isolationist''. The more extreme European perception is that it is even ``patronising''.

Eighty per cent of the Europeans strongly reject the U.S. withdrawal from the Kyoto global warming treaty. Mr. Bush's desire to abandon the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty and his proposal to deploy a missile defence system are also rejected by most Europeans. These are the key dividing issues in the Western alliance.

Mr. Moisy, a respected deputy director of the French Institute of International Relations, has been quoted as saying, ``For the first time since 1947, a mutual decoupling of the United States from Europe is truly possible.'' It is argued that the end of the Cold War, the changing political map and ideological contour of the E.U. and globalisation have caused ``fundamental changes'' in the 50-year relationship between the U.S. and Europe. Many Europeans feel that the U.S. is now logistically and economically more leaning towards the ``Pacific rim'' region in Asia. The Bush administration is seen as being increasingly immune to European aspirations on security and economic fronts.

Many feel that the U.S. in the 20's and 30's was isolationist and all this changed after the last World War by a new generation of ``American internationalists'' who rescued Europe from post-War economic misery with the Marshall Plan, followed by the creation of the United Nations and NATO. Now that the Soviet military threat has evaporated with the extinction of the Soviet Union, the U.S. is suspected of becoming more isolationist, self-centred and pursuing a foreign policy based on its own global interests.

An American commentator described this as a ``fall-out from Bush's mulish policies'' and argues that ``there is no heavier piece of political lumber today than George W. Bush's determined campaign to challenge the existing standards and procedures of international cooperation'' when it is realised that in seven months, the Bush administration has rejected in ``aggressively- stated fashion'' some half-a-dozen global treaties and negotiations, strongly favoured by the rest of the world.''

Mr. Bush leaves a first impression that while his Government is not deliberately isolationist ``it is comfortable with being isolated''. Hence, a ``subtle danger arises from an American President down-playing or manipulating international cooperation so aggressively.''

Many Europeans strongly feel that Mr. Bush's decision to opt out of treaties projects a unilateral image that belies his desire to work more closely with European allies with the result that Bush administration ``has found itself isolated against the allies it sought to cultivate.''

Such European sentiments and anxieties are reflected in the latest opinion poll with the vast majority of the Europeans disapproving of Mr. Bush's policies. Amid such a flood of criticism of Mr. Bush's performance, more seasoned European and American commentators are urging caution and follow a ``wait- and-see'' policy and warn against a ``war of words'' on both sides of the Atlantic, amid a newly-found quest that in final show of things Mr. Bush may ultimately ``turn round'' to pursue a more balanced trans-Atlantic dialogue.

Germany and France - key European ``locomotive'' economic and political powers - will hold general elections in 2002 and their politicians now gain by distancing themselves from Mr. Bush's policies which are widely rated as unpopular by an overwhelming majority of the Europeans.

The ``trans-Atlantic agenda'', six years ago indicated that the U.S. investment dollar will try to find a first home in the 15- nation E.U. market, at the cost of the U.S. lowering its investment profile in Eastern Europe and the emerging markets of Asia.

The trans-Atlantic accord was created after five months of intense negotiations during the Clinton presidency, as the first step to launching a free trade and investment zone in the Atlantic region.

Europeans are also convinced that despite the Bush rhetoric, this is still possible. The E.U. is already one of the largest overseas customers for U.S. goods and services. It is proposed that ``trans-Atlantic agenda'' could be the launching pad for creating a North Atlantic Free trade area (NAFTA), which would bring together three of the world's largest export customers for U.S. goods and services - the E.U., Canada and Mexico.

These markets would create a massive free trade area with a combined gross domestic product of $ 10 trillions and a total population of more than 770 millions. For many Europeans, this is still the goal, not just a Utopia.

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