Europe’s mood of euphoria over Barack Obama masks anxiety about what the new president will demand.
AS THE exhilaration over Barack Obama’s inauguration fades, Europeans have begun to absorb an uncomfortable truth. In his inaugural speech, the United States’ new president did not mention the European Union once. Mr Obama may be at the centre of Europe’s preoccupations. But Europe does not appear to be at the centre of his.
As long as George Bush was in office, Europeans could throw up their hands over the treatment of the Guantánamo Bay prison inmates but feel little pressure to take any of them in; or, indeed, to do more to help in Afghanistan. Under Mr Obama nobody will dare to seem so curmudgeonly.
In the circumstances the last thing any government in Europe will want is to be seen to displease the new American president. But meeting his expectations with actions, rather than fine words and rapturous applause, may yet prove hard.
Originally posted by generalissimoWhat's interesting is the new mood pervading Washington to be unashamedly American and to reaffirm their former position as world leader without the annoying inconvenience of self doubting.
Europe’s mood of euphoria over Barack Obama masks anxiety about what the new president will demand.
What's that old Chinese curse about living in interesting times?
Originally posted by KazetNagorraI did here in britain.
I don't sense any euphoria here in Europe. The leading sentiment seems to be that he is better than McCain, but the choice between a right wing conservative and an extreme right wing ultraconservative isn't so hard for most people.
extreme right wing ultraconservative
thats exagerating isn't it?
Originally posted by generalissimoI don't know to which Europe do you refer to.
obama is the messiah, or is seen as such by europeans (observing the euphoria), who dares question him?
Perhaps you're in the UK? If so, that explains a lot, since the UK is just an appendix of the US, not a European adlater in itself the least representative.
Obama here (at least in the North) is seen with simpathy, and we still wonder how the hell he could be elected despite the hundreds of thousand of tractor driving, tobacco chewing, KKK rednecks in Nowhere, USA.
But far from a messiah. Europeans are not Americans (continent) nor Africans: the need for a messiah is not that overtly present in the soul of the "lost children".
Originally posted by Seitsedude, wikipedia says there are 5,000-8,000 KKK members, max.
I don't know to which Europe do you refer to.
Perhaps you're in the UK? If so, that explains a lot, since the UK is just an appendix of the US, not a European adlater in itself the least representative.
Obama here (at least in the North) is seen with simpathy, and we still wonder how the hell he could be elected despite the hundreds of thousand of tract ...[text shortened]... cans: the need for a messiah is not that overtly present in the soul of the "lost children".
Originally posted by generalissimoWhy don't you do everyone a favor and quit whining about Obama. President Obama is so busy trying keep the entire American economy from collapsing, (a gift from our beloved George W Bush) that maybe Europe is not his top priority. President Obama and the leaders of Europe seem to have no problen with each other, so why are you trying so hard to create a problem where none yet exists? 😏
Europe’s mood of euphoria over Barack Obama masks anxiety about what the new president will demand.
AS THE exhilaration over Barack Obama’s inauguration fades, Europeans have begun to absorb an uncomfortable truth. In his inaugural speech, the United States’ new president did not mention the European Union once. Mr Obama may be at the centre of Euro ...[text shortened]... is expectations with actions, rather than fine words and rapturous applause, may yet prove hard.
Originally posted by SeitseThe OP is a copy-paste from the Economist, which is notoriously anti-EU . Nothing new there.
I don't know to which Europe do you refer to.
Perhaps you're in the UK? If so, that explains a lot, since the UK is just an appendix of the US, not a European adlater in itself the least representative.
Obama here (at least in the North) is seen with simpathy, and we still wonder how the hell he could be elected despite the hundreds of thousand of tract ...[text shortened]... cans: the need for a messiah is not that overtly present in the soul of the "lost children".