Will McCain have support in Western Europe to confront Russia?
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And on top of that, why the heck would an American care what a foreigner thinks about U.S. elections? Yet, in theirs headlined "Poll: Image of US will 'change for the better' with Obama," here is CNN acting as if this is important and perhaps shocking news that Obama has an "enormous" polling advantage among foreigners.
As the author says above we can go it along and fight our battles ourselves and use our considerable military prowness to asset freedom around the world.
I frankly don't care what other countries think about the US or it's elections. I would say the they don't care about what we think either. The only thing I care about is that we treat other countries respectfully and they they do the same. I don't think we should worry about whether or not they like us, they like our money plenty. The US is the most generous nation and has the most generous people too, far more than any other country. We may look like the bully sometimes and may even deserve the title sometimes but when push comes to shove we are there for them, whether it is relief aid during disasters, foreign aid to third world countries, fighting diseases, etc.. Although I don't like our political system I know what good we do for the rest of the world. It does come with some price tag but believe me without us, the food we supply to the world, our generous foreign aid, the world would be in dire straits.
I frankly don't care what other countries think about the US or it's elections. I would say the they don't care about what we think either. The only thing I care about is that we treat other countries respectfully and they they do the same. I don't think we should worry about whether or not they like us, they like our money plenty. The US is the most generous nation and has the most generous people too, far more than any other country. We may look like the bully sometimes and may even deserve the title sometimes but when push comes to shove we are there for them, whether it is relief aid during disasters, foreign aid to third world countries, fighting diseases, etc.. Although I don't like our political system I know what good we do for the rest of the world. It does come with some price tag but believe me without us, the food we supply to the world, our generous foreign aid, the world would be in dire straits.
This discussion is about Western Europe and our joint need to contain Russian expansion and the ability of Senator McCain to inspire that effort amongst the population of Western Europe which is not dependent on us for food or energy. Yup they are in many ways on Russia.
Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation: Missile Defense in Europe Falls to Next Administration (http://www.armscontrolcenter.org/policy/missiledefense/articles/073008_md_update/ - broken link)
The proposed European deployment has met with stiff opposition from Russia, while public opinion polls in the Czech Republic and Poland have shown that a significant majority of Czechs and Poles also oppose the system. Moreover, despite the Bush administration's claims to the contrary, NATO has failed to enthusiastically endorse the system. At the April NATO summit in Bucharest, NATO members merely stated that they "recognize" – rather than "welcome" or "support" – the contribution the system could make to European security. Ultimately, the alliance has not pledged to develop any missile defenses
On July 8, the United States and the Czech Republic signed an initial agreement to build a missile defense radar on Czech soil. However, the agreement has to be ratified by the Czech parliament and perhaps even survive a public referendum. According to Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, the widespread unpopularity of the plan could bring down the government this fall. Topolanek's three-party governing coalition controls just 100 of the 200 seats in the Czech parliament's lower chamber, which is not enough to ratify the agreement. An opinion poll last month showed that nearly 70 percent of Czechs oppose placing a radar on Czech soil.
Even if Topolanek's governing coalition survives, parliamentary approval does not appear to be likely anytime soon, as the government currently has no plans to submit the agreement to parliament before the next general elections scheduled for 2010
Like I said does McCain have the ability to turn this around. Many of you pooed Obama and his trip to Europe but the populations did respond to his call for mutual effort to work together on common threats. Can McCain get at least a public amen for a few over there?
From the Obama Berlin speech that was well received abroad:
The Threat of a Cold War Mindset
"This is the moment when every nation in Europe must have the chance to choose its own tomorrow free from the shadows of yesterday. In this century, we need a strong European Union that deepens the security and prosperity of this continent, while extending a hand abroad. In this century – in this city of all cities – we must reject the Cold War mind-set of the past, and resolve to work with Russia when we can, to stand up for our values when we must, and to seek a partnership that extends across this entire continent".
"If the real deployment of the U.S. strategic missile defense system begins near our borders, then we will have to respond using not diplomatic but military-technological methods," it said."
"While en route to Prague, Rice told reporters that the United States wants the missile defense system to be "transparent" at all times to Russians."
Are we sending a dual message?
I am not sure if we are talking to Europe or to ourselves and our domestic political situation. I posted a link where the Polish PM said the signing was not a result of Georgia but of American politics. That made we do a WTF.
Bush is trying to look presidential like he is influencing something. In reality Rice was the gopher delivery person for the revised agreement.
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