Most European nations have always desired to break loose of the American hold and challenge the leadership of the United States. Europeans are, apparently, willing to accept the political leadership of France which used to challenge openly the US highhandedness since the time of Charles de Gaul. The economic leadership of Germany is also not distasteful to Europeans.
The European bid for international supremacy is bound to reflect on the US- European relations. The much-hyped President George Bush’s European visit will not bear fruit unless he gives convincing explanation for the national missile defense program and US stand on Kyoto protocol. The increasing determination of the US to pursue with the NMD should be viewed in the light of an old statement made by the present vice president, Dick Cheney, while he was the defense secretary in the Bush Sr.’s administration. Cheney had said: “The critics of the US should not forget that it is the US and not the United Nations that maintains the world order. Only US is capable of playing that role.”
This view was echoed by a senior US diplomat George Paul recently when he said: “No European nation is qualified to undertake the international responsibilities because it hardly had any experience in discharging such a responsibility. Europeans cannot take up the role of a world power because each European country’s interests conflict with the other’s. “
Bush’s European tour comes when the gulf between both the sides of the Atlantic has been getting wider. His speech at the NATO summit was a vague defense of the revival of the NMD and was disdainful of the Kyoto agreements. His later comments signified his failure to score any point with them in the summit.
On the other hand, French President Jacques Chirac expressed his worry over the US determination to push ahead with NMD which would trigger an arms race involving highly-destructive warheads such as ballistic missiles. The sharp divide between the Europeans and US can center on the following points:
1- EU rejects the continuing US political meddling in the European affairs as the US policies are invariably motivated by self-interest with scant regard for the Europeans.
2- Conflict of economic interests not only in bilateral trade but also in the American attempts to dominate markets formerly controlled by European colonial powers.
3- Resistance to the American policies on several regional and international issues such as Balkans, sanctions against Libya and Sudan with total disregard for the interests of European manufacturers and the sidelining of the EU in the Middle East diplomacy.
4- Washington is worried by the European and Russian efforts to get closer. Though this would guarantee security and stability in Europe it would mean the end of the American relevance in Europe.
5- The move to expand the EU by admitting East European nations will strengthen the union’s economic base.
Britain’s gradual drift toward closer relations with EU suggests a shift in its dependence on the US is on the cards. On the contrary, Italy under the leadership of the billionaire Sylvio Berluscuni is trying to tilt toward the US.
