The Lame Duck's European Vacation

So George Bush is in Slovenia tonight on the first stop of his last trip to Europe, where he will attend the annual U.S.-European Union Summit -- lame duckedness dripping from every feather, and a hearty "good riddance" on the lips of millions throughout the "old" and "new' continent. His "victory lap" will take him to Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and a return blessing from the Pope.

As Europeans glance across the pond at the economic and foreign policy calamities Bush is leaving behind, his European agenda is typically detached from the real world, as has been almost every other agenda that he has ever taken to Europe.

Nowhere on Bush's wish list is a last gasp at any attempt to forge a consensus on stabilizing Iraq, or any new idea to forge a trans-Atlantic position on runaway oil prices. Whistling past the U.S. economic graveyard, Bush proclaimed upon his arrival (since no one would believe him here) his long-term confidence in the U.S. economy, all the while as unemployment soared, the dollar slumped further, and Wall Street's roller coaster took a steep dive. But that is for the next president, after all, to worry about -- why ruin a European vacation, after all.

Just as in the U.S., Europeans have long ago concluded that Bush's presidency has done more damage to trans-Atlantic relations than any other president before him. NATO is in disarray in Afghanistan -- without a clear, 21st century mission, Russia has psuedo-Soviet designs on European energy security and democratic allies in Eastern Europe, and there is no foreign policy consensus on resolving the challenges of global warming, Islamic terrorism, or trade.

Not that Bush is without something to discuss. He wants Europeans to agree to impose more economic sanctions on Iran, and he is seeking moral encouragement on behalf of his 11th hour stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Good luck, Mr. President...c'est ne pas possible!

As we approach the post-Bush era in U.S.-European relations, Americans understandably wonder whether there will be dramatic improvement in trans-Atlantic cooperation on the issues that have so divided us. Unfortunately, not in the short-run.

True, a President Obama could breathe incredible amounts of fresh air into the stale, tepid state of our ties. Symbolic and substantive moves, such as closing Guantanamo, supporting Kyoto, and forging a new NATO consensus on effectively waging a successful war in Afghanistan will go a long way toward healing diplomatic wounds.

But there are major divisions that will not magically evaporate with a new president. Europe does not seem inclined to come to grips with NATO's future defense agenda, and there is absolutely no consensus on what to do about failed multilateral trade negotiations following the failed Doha Round, or how to muster enough global support to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Even with relatively new French (Sarkozy), Italian (Berlusconi) and likely British (Cameron) leaders, Europe, too, faces many of the challenges we face here at home, including rising oil prices and their attendant severe economic dislocation, social welfare and immigration difficulties, and a yearning for revitalized global presidential leadership. Surely, the next president will be as important to European global leadership as he will be to American global leadership.

Despite these trans-Atlantic challenges, "change" in Washington is desperately sought by Europeans of all stripes and undoubtedly that change could help alter the stagnation afflicting U.S. European relations. With just 224 days left before the "end", there is no time like the present for Americans and Europeans to begin forging possibilities and opportunities -- lame ducks notwithstanding, "help is on the way!"

Comments

[TomR]

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Bush's European agenda is typically detached from the real world, as has been almost every other agenda that he has ever taken to Europe.
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Whaddaya mean? He's been to Europia many times. To show his solidarity, Bush declared, "I too am a Euro-peon."

- Tom

[research]

Lame? Bush is trying to start world war three with IRAN.

That's what this trip is about.

[ofbbg]

It seems that you've overlooked one distinct possibility - that, perhaps, it's the Europeans who are FUBAR!! These are the same europeans who've been cutting each others throats, raping each others women and exchanging parcels of land pretty regularly for almost 2000 years. These "experts" in foreign policy caused, by their own arrogance, gutlessness and stupidity, the two most costly wars in the history of the planet. We're supposed to care what THESE CLOWNS think about American foreign policy??? PLEASE!!!

[bosse]

Please read some history and take some night classes, before being a complete Bushy by acting like bush

[rosal]

This Bush man has no shame at all. He sould be hiding somewhere, embarrassed at what he is leaving behind, instead of showing his face all over the world. This is the man who didn't want to leave children behind, he is leaving the WHOLE country behind. He is shameless!

[Troubledwawa]

Is it me, or does this farewell tour seem early?

I would have thought he would have waited until after the election.

[Dansden]

Troubledwawa:
If Bush waited till after the election, he would have been ARRESTED for global war crimes....
don't cha think...smile

[NorCalNative]

Mr. Ginsberg, your name rang-out to me because I remember seeing in within David Barstow's FOIA documents about the illegal propaganda used by the Department of Defense's Retired Military Analysts Outreach program.

As you may be aware, David Barstow of the N.Y. Times revealed that the use of retired Military was essential in selling the war and keeping us in Iraq. These Retired Military Analysts provided the Bush Administration cover for its lies.

Can you explain why your name was on a list with others such as Kagen and Frum from the American Enterprise Institute and other conservative institutions? Your previous Democratic bona fides seem to hide the fact that you are now primarily a business man who will directly benefit from increased and improved political involvement from and within Europe. Is your beef with Bush or just that his "unitary executive" jihad made it harder to do business overseas?

And, since you have ties to the Energy Industry maybe you could do this site a service by describing your opinions on how and why we need to fix the "Enron Loophole." Since you seem all concerned about the economic impacts on the American public.

[Amb. Marc Ginsberg - Huffpost Blogger]

Permit me to respond. 1) As a Fox News contributor, all contribtor names, whether they had anything to do with the Retired Military Anaylysts Outreach Program or not, were evidently available under FOIA given that our names must have been on a list for outreach by the Pentagon, even though I was not involved with this program (I am not a retired officer) and my name was not included in Barstow's article. I did travel once to Iraq under State Depart auspices. 2) As a critic of the Pentagon's conduct of the war, I was intentionally excluded from the Program and did not participate in it (indeed, I met with Rumsfeld at his request in 2005 because he was so angry with my critical commentary that we had it out with each other in his office at the Pentagon). 3) I do not represent any military contractor, nor am I engaged as an advocate/lobbyist doing business with the Pentagon . 4) Finally, I do not have any ties to the energy industry, except to alternative energy companies, such as water and solar companies. Hopefully, this should allay any further "guilt by association" concerns you may have.

[daffey]

I often wonder how many folks in European countries, or any countries for that matter, stay up nights worried that their leaders and elected officials reflect what Americans want. Come to think of it, most of what I see and hear (and have heard long before GW strolled into the White House), is that they really don"t care, and we should mind our own business when it comes to them. Funny that we feel so obligated to elect who they find acceptable.

[bosse]

There is an entire world there, wondering why Americans act stupidly at each major election.. not just Europeans. , even tho many cannot see any farther than white Europe still!

[bushlies]

Gotta believe most Europeans are delighted to see this lame duck's scrungy tailfeathers in their rear view mirrors.....almost as much as I want to see him in mine!

[davidpeace]

"He [Bush] wants Europeans to agree to impose more economic sanctions on Iran..."

What the world should do is impose severe sanctions on the US for all the bs it has pulled and continues to pull.

[CAPTAINSKIPPY]

Everywhere he goes, he is AWOL, whether in Europe, Crawford or Washington.

[joebaggadonuts]

Maybe they will arrest him while he's there. But then, the Europeans have never shown more backbone than our Democrats in Congress, so I am not holding my breath.

[FOXYLADY]

hahahahahadonuts.....................you've got it all wrong fool!! Tell me how the Europeans are "handling their immigration problems?"....Even the northern countries are having their problems with these leeches. When in the Netherlands you meet more and more illegal foreigners from all over the world.............and lots and lots of muslims. The only reason that Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Greenland don't have as many problems is because those of the illegals are from "warm climates" and can't stand the weather. I must admit tho' that I am also disappointed with the Democratic Congress...........although we must take into account the mess they've had to work with and then there's Bush...................nuff said!!!

[bosse]

I am glad to read your opinions. But lady, remember there is only one planet where we live, and all are welcome to move about, that is what God waanted, since he didnt put up any fences. So moslems should be allowed too, even if you do not believe they will not go to heaven. There are many muslims in America, didyou know? Also you forgot your great grand parents or even parents may have come ashore, from far away. So larn to live in peace. Pray God save your likes

[desertdweller]

John Kerry was denied communion but George Bush gets to kiss the Pope's ring. Go figure? Maybe Bush is a close friend of Cardinal Roger "I want to be Pope" Mahoney - protector of child molesters.

[Kashathree]

"As Europeans glance across the pond at the economic and foreign policy calamities Bush is leaving behind, his European agenda is typically detached from the real world, as has been almost every other agenda that he has ever taken to Europe. "

Well now, that makes sense doesn't it? Bush has been detached from the real world since day one of his unfortunate and "fixed" elections. Worst "President" in our nation's history.

[outnow]

Europeans are reluctant to sign up for the war on terror as presently conceived. Bush is a repugnant symbol to the Europeans whom I talked to (I just returned from Europe). Some people told me that they do not want to travel to the United States for fear of being investigated and put into data bases. Others are hostile to Americans who they see as creating a NATO-based offensive military apparatus throughout Europe to be used any where in the world to further American aims - commercial and offensive as well as defensive.

The Europeans are "done." They hate war while Americans are enamored of it. War fantasies fill our entertainment and our global ambitions. Europeans do not see Americans as saviors or as spreading democracy. They view us as being captives of a hostile military junta and they want no part of it. We can force them to accept our military agenda through circumventing the normal channels of democracy - referendums or even Parliamentary action, but we are fooling nobody.

Ambassadors do not see the full picture because they are instruments of the Washington Consensus on most issues, including NATO. No amount of Obama's charisma will change European perceptions.

[rosal]

Between Obama's charisma, and his policies, European's perceptions WILL change

[MilwaukeeDan]

outnow, I get the same story from my east European friends and relatives(and most know current events,they are much more informed than Americans). The Czechs and Slovaks I have worked with, to a man, think their government was being paid off to push NATO on their people. They worry more about Russians cutting off fuel supplies than Russian tanks in Prague. They also think NATO is a American tool for empire building and they don't want to see their children die in some crazy American adventure in the middle East. As for your statement on Americans love of war and violence, some of our most popular movies, TV shows and games are hours off machine gun fire, murder, torture and mayhem, and you wonder why all the kids are screwed up.

[bosse]

Please let us give that the rest of the world has their own agenda. They like us but do not have to follow us, or ask for our guidance. Most Europeans, and ( I was there and in Russia last months)the rest of the world just want Americans to understand, most of us came here from there. So please just don't put them down. You dont want to do that to our forebearers. They were civilized a long ago. And it is reasonable and fashionable now to HATE war. Some of us have not learned that even after W W two and Vietnam1 We can and will leave in peace with the rest of the world without acting the BOSS role,or judging other's intentions ktb

[RRonin]

Congress should put the dumb-ass on a strict budget, with every taxpayer-financed trip requiring justifcation. it's ridiculous this preening Daffy Lame Duck can flit about on our dime, congratulating himself on the wonderful job he's done.....