Voices of caution

By Hasan Suroor

EUROPE, WITH its historical experience of both revolutionary and fascist terror, has reacted to the terrorists' atrocities in the U.S. as much with horror as with understandable caution.

More than America and Britain, mainland Europe understands the dangers of talking up passions, particularly if they have racial or sectarian undertones. It is not surprising that the language of ``war'' interspersed with references to ``Islamic'' terrorism has caused some unease in European countries which have significant Muslim population.

The anti-Muslim backlash has already begun and countries such as France and Germany wish to avoid joining any U.S. retaliation that might seem like an attack on states or peoples of a particular faith.

Apart from domestic considerations they are concerned about the impact this might have on their relations with the Muslim world.

The French Prime Minister, Mr. Lionel Jospin, felt compelled to declare that ``we are not at war against Islam or the Arab Muslim world'', and French MPs reacted with distaste to the idea that this is a modern ``crusade'', a term unthinkingly used by the U.S. President, Mr. George W. Bush.

Leading figures in Germany including its Chancellor, Foreign Minister and Defence Minister have called for restraint and their views have found echos in Belgium and Italy.

Cautionary voices have also been raised in Britain, the most enthusiastic of U.S. allies in Europe, forcing the Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, to stress that this is not a conflict between the Christian and the Islamic world but between civilised values and fanaticism.

Yet, he is perhaps the only European leader to use the word ``war'' while others, including the NATO Secretary-General, Lord Robertson, pointedly avoided the term when asked if NATO was at war.

Europe is not against retaliation and in fact for the first time in its history NATO has invoked Article 5 of its charter which implies automatic support of all member-states to the country which has been attacked. But most European countries do not want the issue to be couched in denominational terms or as a confrontation between the ``civilised'' West and the ``rest''.

The overwhelming opinion even in Britain is that any retaliation should be measured and there is unease over loose references to a range of Muslim countries as possible targets.

Mr. Blair, who has emerged as Washington's pointman in Europe, has been working overtime to keep his European friends in line and through his shuttle diplomacy this week he has succeeded in putting a lid on any more embarrassing public utterances.

Privately, however, European leaders still have reservations about giving a ``blank cheque'' to Mr. Bush.

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