Have Britain and France switched places vis-a-vis their view of America?
In Britain, conversely, America’s perceived failure as a colossus may have invited a new contempt: for an incompetent heir to Britain’s imperial legacy. “There is an awareness that America is successor to the British Empire and the global empire that we were a century ago — and perhaps some disappointment in its performance,” says Anthony Browne, a thinker behind the Conservative Party leader David Cameron.
But that may go only so far, he adds: “Britain has invaded Iraq three times and our imperial adventures are indirectly responsible for many of the world’s trouble spots, including Afghanistan, Palestine, Burma and Pakistan. So we are hardly in a position to chastise the United States for screwing up.”
Too true.
Meantime, a chill wind blows from the other side of the channel. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who vacations in Cape Cod, has nevertheless been steadfast in retreat from Iraq, determined to shed the image of his predecessor, Tony Blair, as America’s lap dog. British officials say his stiff upper lip during his recent White House visit was a subliminal warning: the “special relationship” will be special again when someone else is in the Oval Office and British troops are out of Basra.
But the French are acting all lovey-dovey.
Many in Europe have watched with bemusement as Mr. Sarkozy’s Socialist foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, has entertained the possibility of war against Iran and Mr. Sarkozy talks of France rejoining NATO’s military command structure after an absence of 40 years. Meanwhile, his tax-cutting finance minister, Christine Lagarde, quotes Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America” and admonishes the French to “stop thinking so much,” work harder, earn more and get rich.
Now, that’s the way to emulate America!! Voila!!
pommes frites will henceforth be referred to as fritures de liberté
lTMF’sA
Mr. Sarkozy is a neocon’s neocon. Which is terrible, because France holds an important vote on the UN Security Council. As for Gordon, he’ll separate himself for now, but if we ever really need him, I think he’ll come home to roost. And probably over a glass of wine in Martha’s Vineyard.
You bet he is. I think he was the lab model for getting Guilianni elected. His opponant was totally Hillary like. Female, deferential to criticism from the right, oblivious the left, friendly to corporations, you name it. We’re next, which is why we need to hit the streets.
Hereafter english muffins will be known as freedom muffins.
As a born here American who literally has been fucked out of many, many things it is going to look exactly correct atop my Apocalyptic horse should God himself decide to smite all down here.
Look closer though, look behind the lines, these shitheads are “in the news” for a specific reason and it’s up to you to find out what the scam is.
The french elites have recently mastered the AngloAmerican art of giving people few good choices in the election than proclaiming a mandate from those not demoralized enough to stop voting.
Brown is just publically distancing himself from Bush, but he has allowed Bush to establish new military bases their and is ramping up his anti Iran rhetoric. The ordinary people in all these countries need to stage massive civil disobedience.