In the eyes of billions outside Europe and the United States, the wars that cripple the world economy are between the two continents rather than over Iraq or the salvation of world trade freedom. The US appears to be unhappy that Europe remains a prosperous, peaceful, democratic continent that is working towards a meaningful union. The frustration of the US becomes self-evident when its division of the world into those who are with it and those who are against it is put to the test. While Europe remains the US’ most significant strategic partner, the differences between their values and views are so wide that it hardly needs somebody like Saddam to highlight them.
Today’s Europe remains the world’s prime example of a gentleman. It is aging, rich and averse to risk. For many Americans, on the other hand, wars must be fought when they, and they only, consider them justified, regardless of the established rules of the game and says Martin Wolf of the Financial Times, “to a glorious conclusion, somewhere else. “For most Europeans,” he adds, “the launching of a war is believed to be catastrophic, immoral or both”.
The Europeans are masters of patching up their differences to avoid wars. They are building a United Europe, although out of the current members of the European Union only Sweden and the UK were neither occupied nor have suffered a civil conflict in the 20th century. The same cannot be said for their strategic partner, who is unwilling to listen to words of wisdom from their old loyal associates or take note of the painful experience of their mentors.
Another war of some importance is currently being fought by the Europeans and the Americans in Tokyo. The enemy to be defeated is the underdeveloped countries who, by the WTO interpretations of its laws, have to give most and take least.
According to the European commission, “the European Union has a paramount interest in the further liberation of services trade and has encouraged the drive to create a truly Global market for services”. The gentle reminder will sadly not move the European Union or its partners.
The battlefield, obviously, is a WTO paper, three years in the making, seeking to chart common ground among the trade body’s 145 members to achieve consensus on farm and tariffs liberalization. The war is also between Europe and the United States. This time, for good measure, they are joined by Tokyo. This is not because Tokyo is the host city. It is because like them, it wants to hold its subsidies on agriculture and uphold tariffs to protect its own industries and invade other poorer economies. All is fair in love and war. But the big three are not fighting each other: They are after a after a bigger share of the spoils of the underdeveloped world. And the developing countries had better agree, or they will make a Saddam out of every one of them.
Arab News Features 17 February 2003