As a result of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s murderous policies, the situation in the Middle East has become highly explosive. Sharon the Butcher is massacring unarmed Palestinian civilians and destroying the Palestinian Authority’s infrastructure. These inhumane acts, however, are carried out with the blessing of the US president who has proved a master in disinformation and denial of truth.

Despite the international anger and rejection of Israel’s terrorism and the unethical stand of the US, the Europeans have failed to act in a manner the situation warrants. The European countries are watching idly the ongoing slaughter in occupied territories. The Arab masses are wondering whether the European community is aware of its total subservience to the US and the dangerous consequences of such a policy.

The European subordination is not based on Sept. 11 attacks because nations don’t change their policies on humanitarian factors. The Europeans have more at stake in the Arab world than they have in Israel. So, why the Europeans have reversed their priorities or got them wrong?

It is true that there is a historical background to the European stance. But the subordination to Washington is a result of the policies adopted by the US since World War II. The US in fact adopted a policy that is designed to restricting the Europeans’ role in world affairs and preventing them taking any decision that contradicts US policies.

The US in other words has adopted the colonial policy of Great Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries that ensured that nobody would confront the British. Great Britain, in order to execute such a policy, had to fashion regional alliances against any newly emerging European power. This policy is known as the balance of power.

Washington did the same thing by linking the European policies to its strategic goals. For instance, the US in both world wars supported the anti-German alliances. Then created the NATO to confront the USSR during the Cold War. The US further controlled the Japanese policy following Japan’s defeat World War II. Washington also entered into alliance with Taiwan and South Korea against China and the USSR.

Finally, there is the unlimited support for Israel against the Arabs. In addition to this, the US is also creating rifts between Arab regimes and providing “protection” to some against others. The US has also alliances with major powers in Europe except France.

Washington has thus succeeded in becoming the center of international politics, diplomacy, security, economy and culture. Can we say that the US has managed to marginalize the European role as of the middle of the last century? Furthermore, has the US managed as well to make the Europeans a subordinate in spite of the continent’s economic strength?

The answer is in the affirmative. However, Europeans have not yet realized that the US needed them more than they need the US. The Europeans will also have to understand that the backing they give the US will only encourage and strengthen policies that lack or question international legitimacy. Therefore, the Europeans would do well to think of some ways to restore the balance of power. This is the only way to check the US when it acts unilaterally and supports all the wrong things a party to a conflict does to the detriment of the other as it has always done in the Middle East.