55 Comments

TLM:

I’m no expert on European affairs, but I do think the chances for a realignment of U.S. and EU interests is in the offing. The European nations mentioned in M.E.’s previous post have, to some degree, realized their excesses. Hopefully, we have recognized ours, particularly the idea that “Old Europe” is irrelevant. John McCain’s proposal for a league of Democracies organized to confront common problems in the third world is but one example of this trend. Should a left-leaning Barack Obama ascend to the Presidency, the Yin/Yang relationship between the U.S. and Europe may swing the other way, pushing European societies in the “right” direction. Russia will continue to look East, hoping to revive a Eurasian identity, while her influence to the West remains unchecked. Turkey, that most unfairly maligned of nations who would be European, will default to Muslim Middle Eastern mode if the EU is not more careful. Turkish influence in the new Central Asian republics is invaluable. If the EU does not wish to avail itself of that influence, the Russians surely will. Finally to the South, the future of the Middle East may hang in the balance, not in Jerusalem but in Baghdad. The turnaround in Iraq may have Europeans worried that failure by the US at this point could be attributed to willful negligence on their part, with the consequences felt world wide. The same holds for Afghanistan. The American leader Europeans love to hate will soon be gone, possibly replaced by one they would normally adore, but whose Iraq policy - mimicking their own - could turn out to be a failure. For Europe and the U.S., the changes coming come with a caveat: be careful what you wish for. Millions of Americans and Europeans have become enchanted by our newest political star, Barack Obama, and are marching to his tune toward our common future as if he’s the Pied Piper. Unfortunately, our world is not Disneyland. “When you wish upon a star, no matter who you are”, sings Jiminy Cricket, and Barack Obama. “All your dreams will come true”. Then again, maybe they won’t.

May 25, 2008 - 3:05 pm Ron Kean:

I hope the United States’ Left gets over its anti-Americanism.

Looking forward to the next post.

May 25, 2008 - 10:33 pm RuleTopia:

Senator Obama and his wife reminds us ad nauseum that he worked as a “community organizer” rather than rake in big bucks in corporate America. First of all, my community and I do not need to be organized by the likes of Senator Obama and his ilk. Second of all, by definition, lots of people clearly want what corporate America is selling. That’s not true of what big government liberals like Senator obama want to force us to buy with our hard-earned tax dollars: more government oversight of healthcare, the oil industry, international trade, the environment, and Lord only knows what all else. Lastly, his community service does not compare with that of Senator McCain’s, who never seems to want to talk about his service and his great sacrifice.

May 25, 2008 - 11:38 pm Cornhead:

1. Barack is the biggest fake of all time and it is just transparent to me. He’ll be ten times worse than Carter; if he wins. (He won’t.)

2. Obama thinks we can save and conserve our way to lower gas prices. It can’t be done. The Chinese gov’t subsidizes oil to the tune of 50% or so. And China is just getting started on fuel consumption. For someone who thinks he’s in touch with the world, he should know the oil market is a world market.

3. I heard Sen. Hagel (R. Neb.) on booktv. He described Generals Petreaus and Ordino as just “fine” or “good” or some such nonsense.

And then Sen. Joe Liberman quoted the Kagans as correctly noting these two generals are in our all-time top ten.

Today in the OWH there’s talk of an Obama-Hagel ticket.

Hagel also seems to be angling for a Cabinet spot in either the McCain or Obama administration.

Hagel is, to my mind, completely disqualified. If he can’t admit that the two generals that *won* the Iraq war are *great* then he needs to go back the cell phone business. Maybe the FCC. The FCC is plenty screwed up and he’d fit right in with those clowns.

4. Is anyone surprised what HRC said? I figured out a long time ago that the Clintons represent the *worst* of a bad generation. It’s always about them all the time.

May 26, 2008 - 6:31 am Allison Aller:

Obama would give us Carter’s second term…horrible to contemplate, so keep up the pressure here, please!
Lovely to hear how the tide is turning toward us in Europe…

May 26, 2008 - 7:24 am Michael McNeil:

What do you think, Victor, of that Battle of the Bulge war memorial at Bastogne?

May 26, 2008 - 9:37 am J.E. Dyer:

If we wanted to, we could torture Obama’s words, about not seeking the big-paying jobs and the insta-mansions, into an exhortation to young people to join the armed forces. I can tell you after 20 years in the Navy that you will have the opportunity to sacrifice to your heart’s content, and will be burdened with neither high pay nor luxurious living quarters. Perhaps Obama’s rhetorical focus here was a subtle recruiting pitch for military service.

But there’s no reinterpreting his cynical riff on Latin America. VDH is right: one of our best tools of influence to promote stable prosperity and liberty in Latin America is trade, and Obama has shown a rare consistency in his opposition to NAFTA, and indeed to any trade regimes that are not protectionist for the US. In blaming Hugo Chavez on Bush, Obama appears to be banking on complete ignorance in his American audience.

BTW, Mr. Hanson, which AMERICAN hotels are you staying at, where you have to pay a fee for internet access? I haven’t found it at all difficult to locate hotels — and coffee lounges — where access is provided free. It’s typically one of the top things advertised.

May 26, 2008 - 10:00 am M.E.:

VDH: “a complete Orwellian rewrite of history”.

The systematic rewrite of history is a principal occupation of the leftist historians. As Stanley G. Payne writes (ad sensum) about the Spanish Civil War: the Left lost the war in the real history but won it in the ideological sphere. But no ideology can substitute what really is and was. So Orwellian version of history cannot work like a machine that disagrees with the laws of physics. The contradiction of Obama’s version of American history with the real history is striking, but above all it insults the natural pride of the American people as a great nation that fought against the most hateful regimes of the Earth.
As a political emigrant from the Soviet Union and European I never forget that if there are liberty and Human dignity in this Word, we owe it to the United States and its people. In Obama’s version of American history prepared for him by his liberal advisers all this immense fight of the American people for freedom is shameful. I would quote Oriana Fallacci’s words about the Americans: “a farmer who sows a field with wheat with the airplane remains always a farmer, heir of pioneers, a combative and proud man (o a woman). It is necessary to add that the Americans have a long memory. As they never have forgotten Pearl Harbor, and never will forget it, so they haven’t forgotten 11 September. And they never will forget it” (“L’Apocalisse”).
And this Obama, that offends a great people, their history and values, wants to be their President! I think this man has the same idea of America that his African father.

Euro & dollar from the European point of view:

“Low” dollar and “high” euro mean a negative situation for the European economics: inflations, unemployment and decreasing of exportations. That is why “there are almost no Americans to be seen” and “most hoteliers … whine … that fewer Americans are coming”. It is cheaper for Europeans to come to the US than for Americans to Europe. You can see European panic in economic news papers. As an European I know it from my personal experience. For example: to buy the books of good editions in the US costs me much less than in any European country. So if I have choice I buy books in the US and not in Europe. I image that less rich countries than Europe, prefer to buy American goods and not European thanks to the “low” dollar. It is not necessary to be an expert to see in this rapport euro-dollar a clear advantage for the American economics.

TLM: “Millions of Americans and Europeans have become enchanted by our newest political star…”

I cannot speak in the name of “millions of Europeans”, but only in my own name. I feel a repugnance, physic and moral, for this “newest political star”. My repugnance is objective because I clearly realize of the disastrous consequences of Obama’s political fantasies: hundreds of thousands of dead, carnages, immediate assault of all terrorist groups, chaos… This is Obama’s “change”. In other and simpler words: a catastrophe of the universal dimensions for which the US will be responsible if they elect an idol of the “enchanted” idiots. In a Spanish digital magazine I have read these exact words: Obama is the most dangerous man of the World. And what does “enchantment” mean? There are many techniques to produce “enchantment”, but no technique can make it lasting. I think this is Obama’s case. This sweet speaking “demon” has reached his highest point of enchantment. There are objective signs: the results of the primaries in West Virginia and Kentucky where we could hear not the voice of enchanted hashish smokers, but of normal working people, of men and women that don’t take part in the enchanting comedies that mass media organize.

May 26, 2008 - 11:47 am TLM:

M.E.: I’m always glad to hear from Europeans regarding our politics, and hope there are more like you who are not duped by what Obama says. Reading about Obama’s supporters does give me the impression they are enchanted by him. They buy into his message in part because they want, or even wish it to be true, like children hearing a fairy tale. The voters who resisted Obama’s siren song in Ohio, Pennsylvania and elsewhere, hard working salt of the Earth types, have retained a quintessential American trait. By nature they are skeptical of politicians, preachers and other professional panderers who promise them the world. They don’t need a college degree to spot a con man or a charlatan. The left wing of the Democratic Party would paint them as backward, uneducated, misinformed or racist. John Edwards couldn’t get their votes either, so it’s not racism. They are just not easy to fool.

Barack Obama is a very talented politician. He sings the liberal’s siren song better than anyone in the last thirty years, in my opinion. His life story, his oratorical skills, and his feel-good message of “Change” have enchanted a great many voters in this country. However, as you say, enchantment doesn’t last forever. If he wins the race for the presidency, many Americans will be disenchanted, some on November 5th, and the rest shortly thereafter.

May 26, 2008 - 1:27 pm TLM:

addendum: (to complete the metaphor, I suppose) to last line above. Should read:

many Americans will be disenchanted, some on November 5th, and the rest shortly thereafter when our Ship of State crashes on the rocks.

May 26, 2008 - 1:32 pm Minerva:

Decades ago, my father explained to me the wonders of Europe 500 years ago, but added — “and they’ve been living off of it ever since.”

May 26, 2008 - 2:10 pm Ron Kean:

Rereading the post, professor, thank you for refuting Obama’s statement. The Senate, NAFTA, and Chaves examples destroyed the validity. And while we’re at it, didn’t every major national intelligence agency say that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction?

Too much of the time, it has seemed and seems today that rational points and reasonable refutation doesn’t matter. I keep re-discovering that it’s close to impossible to carry on a rational political conversation with a Liberal. Some take on that ‘Olberman’ crazy look and start calling names. I’ve had to part with relatives.

You get the angry emails. I’ve read a few of yours. I just bump into one Liberal or another and trigger anger. Mentioning the words, ‘George Bush’, will typically start it. Charles Kruthammer, a psychiatrist named the malady BDS. The reaction is pathological.

Thank you for sharing.

May 26, 2008 - 3:54 pm James S:

After living in Luxembourg for 3 years and visiting the American Military Cemetary in Hamm several times, I can verify that the US Govt does an excellent job of taking care of the fallen. The grounds are impecable and well cared for.

What is even more interesting is that about 1.5 miles down the road is the German Military Cemetary. It was originally organized by the US Army, who dutifully collected all German dead, identified them (via the German dog tag) and interred them with respect.

How rare is a society that takes care of the enemy dead with respect. How lucky are we to be part of that society.

Incidentally, the funds to maintain the German cemetary are by donation. The German government does not participate. This information is documented on phamplets available at the cemetary.

May 26, 2008 - 5:34 pm TLM:

Memorial Day weekend 1993. It’s been fifteen years but I still remember it well. My wife and I were Army officers stationed at Ft. Campbell. Her brother was also stationed there as a Company Commander in the 101st. He was a veteran of the first Gulf War. Her younger brother was an Army Reserve officer, having just graduated from Norwich Academy. My first daughter, barely a year old at the time, was born at Ft. Campbell in the same hospital her mother was in 1961. At the time my wife was born, her father was a new USMA graduate stationed at Ft. Campbell. He shipped out for Viet Nam when she was two. At age 18 my father enlisted in the Army right out of high school. That was 1950 and he spent the Korean War in Japan. I entered on active duty service in the United States Army on 23 May 1983, and on Memorial Day 1993 I was almost exactly half way toward retirement. Considering our families’ ties to the Army, it may come as a surprise that my wife and I decided, Memorial Day weekend 1993, to leave the Army. Over the next few years my wife’s brothers and her father would follow suit (her father turned down a third star and retired as a Major General). There are always many reasons why someone decides to leave military service. For my wife and I, and I believe her family as well, it was a lack of confidence in our new President. Good presidents and bad presidents come and go. You get used to it. If you wear a uniform, however, a president who is a bad Commander-in-Chief can change your whole perspective on being in the military. In 1993 Bill Clinton quickly proved he was as bad as you can get. It was not his liberal politics that earned him the scorn of his own military. It was his inexperience. It was his incompetence in dealing with military matters. And it was his defeat of a man who clearly understood his role as Commander-in-Chief.

As Memorial Day 2008 comes to a close we find ourselves in a similar situation to fifteen years ago. A young candidate with no experience in military matters would be our President and command our military forces. His opponent is the very epitome of someone the military can trust to lead them to victory in our ongoing wars. Today, as we always do on Memorial Day, we must remember all those who have fought on our behalf to keep us safe and to keep us free. We must appreciate their sacrifice and the heavy burden they carry each and every day. And we must also recognize the burden we carry as United States citizens, the one given to us by our Constitution. That is our sacred duty to select the best possible candidate to be our next President and Commander-in-Chief. For me, the choice was made months ago when my only son, my father’s only grandson, received his appointment to West Point. For our family the circle is near complete, lacking only the right choice for President.

De oppresso liber

May 26, 2008 - 8:58 pm steve:

Let us not forget the European National Health care. In England I refused to use the NHS after they failed to diagnose my wife’s e coli. I know of no executive there who does not have a private health plan.
In a hot summer several years ago, the French lost an estimated 12,000 seniors to the heat wave - which I find an interesting comaprison to Katrina. I view this election as a defining moment. We can take a great leap into a morass or manage our way through logically if imperfectly. The choice is ours.

May 27, 2008 - 1:18 am John:

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for a ration of common sense. My father used to say; “if common sense were so common, why do so few people have it?”

My wife is originally from Europe. She has just yesterday returned from her annual trek back to visit relatives and the “motherland”. She called me mid-way through her 10 day visit to tell me she wished her trip were over and that she was already dreaming of home. Prices for everything are sky high. Long gone are the simple pleasures we once knew in her homeland, we used to love going for a walk and sitting down for a snack at a sidewalk cafe to do a little people watching. A coffee or a glass of juice is now more than $5.00, add a pastry and you are pushing past the price of a meal here at home. Waiters are as rude as ever, gratuities are automatic and based on how many people might sit at a table. (tip; don’t select a table with 4 chairs if you are a party of 2).

Life is passing up the ordinary people at an astonishing rate, my wife’s friends and peer group, mostly doctors, academicians, artists, and professional musicians, are living less than large on comparatively very meager salaries. Income tax is eating half their earnings and expensive government services are dwindling. There are enclaves in the city where the native language is not heard or spoken, and the chief complaint is that the children are not receiving a decent education.

Europe is not a model we should wish to emulate.

As an aside, VDH, we recently had to attend a conference in another city and the school’s travel department booked us into the Convention Center Marriott,,, where we were charged $10.00 for the use of the internet. We could have stayed at the Holiday Inn Express across the street, in a room just as nice for half the price, with free internet. You need to have a chat with your travel agent.

May 27, 2008 - 5:45 am M.E.:

TLM: thank you very much for your precious information. It confirms me that Americans will make the right choice for President as they made the right choice for great Commander-in-Chief George W. Bush in 2004. I am sure that the only man who deserves to be President and Commander-in-Chief is John McCain. Your story has impersonated me. It gives also direct information about the mood of the military when they don’t respect their Commander-in-Chief.
Your description of “hard working salt of the Earth types” is the same of Oriana Fallaci’s: “True Americans are the farmers of Ohio, Missouri, Oklahoma, the cowboys of Texas, the mountaineers of Idaho and Montana, the fishermen of Florida and Lousiana. These people are not seen in New York, in Los Angeles, in the cities that the tourists visit”. Millionaire-leftist Edwards hates these people not because they are “backward, uneducated, misinformed or racist” but because they are free men that don’t need a guru like him. My late father was a simple worker in a factory of Moscow. The workers hated the communist bosses and vice versa. It was true “hatred of classes” in Marxist sense. For me it’s easy to imagine what a worker feels for leftist boss Edwards and vice versa. Dr. Hanson said very well: “the white working classes have a long memory”. Edwards & Co. (“the left wing of the Democratic Party”) had offended the working class and so they have signed their destiny.
There is an explanation why I read this page and sometimes write comments. I like very much Dr. Hanson’s books. He is great scholar. I am also a scholar of literary texts. Dr. Hanson’s opinions, differently to those of ignorant mass media gossipers, have always an exact sense. Not less interesting are the comments of persons like you that have experience and knowledge. Here there is free and constructive dialogue. And I have known many new things from these “electronic” conversations of the Author with the readers and vice versa, and between the readers.
Dr. Hanson (in Private Papers) observes: “Indeed, he may be the first Democratic nominee in memory to lose all the primary elections in California, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.” We can add also Michigan. It is a very paradoxical situation. There is another explosive factor not to forget: Mme. Hillary R. Clinton. Her hatred for this Honolulu parvenu is absolute. Don’t undervalue this Dame Sans Merci. I think the denouement will be very dramatic and may be tragic (the tragic has many forms, not only “violent death”). Passions create a tragedy. And here the passions have reached their highest point. Only old soldier John McCain remains with cool and clear mind.

May 27, 2008 - 6:46 am M.E.:

addendum: fifth line above. Should read: Your story has impressed me.

May 27, 2008 - 6:56 am Nathan:

Obama’s commencement speech called for a “Collective” Salvation. The anti-trade, anti-business, “it’s a mean America”, etc. comments are getting scary. The call against the “Money Culture” by an elitist reminds one of the disastrous “Cultural Revolution” Communist China tried.

May 27, 2008 - 7:38 am Trudy B. Taylor:

word up to m.e. concerning cheaper “american” goods 2ndary to decreasing u.s. dollar: sometimes non-american customers are purchasing goods in the u.s. that were actually made outside this country, shipped into the u.s. and sold back to the regional folk who manufactured them in the first place. there’s no such thing as an uncomplicated story when it comes to economics.

May 27, 2008 - 8:06 am TLM:

A few additional comments to my above post for Memorial Day. Military families and the military at large contain all the contradictions and diversity of opinion present in our society. This basic fact is usually lost on liberal leftists, who would view members of the military as possessing their own predisposition to group-think. Several ex-military members of my family are against the current war in Iraq, and the one with the most military experience was against the first Gulf War as well. I disagree with him on both accounts, but I respect his opinion on these matters far more than I ever could Barack Obama’s. His is not a politically motivated knee-jerk reaction to these events.

My son was no doubt influenced by his family’s history in his decision to become a military officer. Though we had all left the Army by the time he was 8 years old, he had heard our stories. Up until 3 years ago he had no interest in the military. Then I noticed him reading John McCain’s books. Questions followed, history discussions seemed suddenly pertinent, and the debate in our family over the war in Iraq took on new meaning. We all played devil’s advocate with him on this question. A year ago I noticed him re-reading McCain’s account of his time as a POW, and shortly thereafter his decision was made. During the primary season in New Hampshire, I virtually stalked McCain at his townhall meetings to get his autograph on that book. True leaders have that kind influence of on young people.

May 27, 2008 - 10:29 am John Samford:

Anyone rational is against war. That is not and never has been the question to Americans, with our representative government. No, the question Americans ask themselves should be ‘is this war necessary?’ The for or against war is a rhetorical tool used by the left to frame the debate and win it before it even starts.

TLM, I’m a 6th generation sailor. Youngest son is army. I think it came from dropping him on his head one too many times.

May 27, 2008 - 1:22 pm Gringo:

M.E.: In a Spanish digital magazine I have read these exact words: Obama is the most dangerous man of the World.

Could you supply the website info? Lo agradezco much. Thanks.

May 27, 2008 - 1:32 pm John:

I for one stand up against anti-americanism whenever I hear it.
But some of the anti-europeans in this comment section are kind of stupid as well. Tit for Tat, yeah sure, but it doesn´t make it any more true.

I would also encourage you to remember that Europe is not a very uniform entity. I don´t know in what kind of hotel you had to pay 25 USD for an unstable internet connection. But I can assure you that in most hotels where I live, WLAN is free - and working. And here in Berlin you wouldn´t need to pay for internet, because most cafes offer WLAN for free as well.

May 27, 2008 - 2:07 pm BMoon:

“we hear remonstrations about the “money culture” and how young students are to not to pursue the big money and house (as he has lately),…”

OK. I can clearly see the proliferation of Orwellian-Goebellian deconstructionism of history in Obama´s pronuncements. I don´t blame him though. That´s what hs young, tabla rusa, impressionable, hopelessly smug mind was overwhelmed with during his years at taught at Ha’va’d Ya’d.

But there is at least one thing his monstrous propaganda machine is 100% right about…he is like JFK on this one- living in a mansion with millions of dollars a year income while pontificating to young Americans to live poor lives of public service.

May 27, 2008 - 2:37 pm Tony:

Well, speaking as a European myself, the impression I get over here is that the anti-American thing is the same as it is in the US -i.e. rooted in idealistic lefties and promulgated by an elitist media. Sound familiar?

The average european “Joe” isn’t nearly as anti-American as our friends in the US think…ironically, you just seem to swallow what the media sells you! Sarkozy, Merkel and the imminent demise of Britains Labour Government should tell you guys something about how the majority of us really think and feel over here.

Most of my peers may be a little bit anti-Bush (8 years of media bashing does have its attritional effects) but that doesn’t mean that, by default, they swallow the hope and change rubbish being spewed out my Obama. Give us some credit guys.

May 27, 2008 - 2:53 pm TLM:

Many Americans, myself included, are not that well informed about European opinions regarding politics, social issues etc. We have relied far too long on our media for information about Europeans, and therefore have a very superficial and simplistic understanding of their societies. Hopefully, the internet with websites like this one will change all that.

May 27, 2008 - 6:08 pm TLM:

John Samford: I’ve been practicing the correct way to say “Go Army”. If you need some hints, I’d be glad to pass them along. Dropping your son on his head was a good way to get him ready for the Army. He learned important lessons about terra firma, and I’m sure he eventually learned to bounce.

May 27, 2008 - 6:20 pm Cassis:

Steve

European National Health care?

The National Health Service is just about only found in the UK. For example, Germany and France have insurance based systems and Switzerland is wholly private (and probably the best of the lot).

Tony is right - 8 years of Bush bashing - lapped up by the left particularly in the cities.

We occasionally come across people here in Switzerland, who are so anti-Bush it belies belief. A couple of months ago we came across an elderly (Berlin born) woman who is a simultaneous translator at the UN in Geneva. She told us that she has a lot family in the US but she would not go there while GWB was President.

But, for once, fed up with this ridiculous, uninformed attitude, my husband (who has a LOT of credibility in our village - he’s president) turned round and said. “I’m sorry to hear that, but we support George Bush”. You should have seen her face. Shock. Horror. Disbelief.

May 27, 2008 - 10:25 pm Richard:

TLM: Let me tell you that a website like this also doesn’t give you the whole view. As someone from Switzerland, I have to say I disagree on almost everything written in this blog posting:
- Friendly Europeans: Well yes, Europeans are very friendly and no, Anti-Americanism isn’t directed against individuals. Nonetheless the image of the U.S. and in particular of your administration is still pretty bad (On both sides of the political spectrum). And a Dutchman still contrasting the WW2 treatment by the U.S. and Germany really can’t be objective about the current situation.
- The Dollar: True we have very high gas prices, but thanks to working public transportation that isn’t the end of the world. For the low Dollar you can hardly blame Europe or Obama’s ideas…
- Internet: Internet is more expensive, but not nearly 3 times as expensive. On the plus side starting this year every household in Switzerland has the right for broadband access.
- Secular: What exactly is wrong with that?

Oh, and then on a separate note, not only about this Blog: Europe consists of about 50 countries. Why does everybody always make it sound like it is one homogeneous mass? Why is always the French health care or social system mentioned and not the one of a Scandinavian country? Or why always mentioning the stagnate German economy and not the economic growth of Spain?

May 27, 2008 - 10:56 pm S. Camara:

Evil people will find EVIL even in the milk their mather feed them with. You cannot prevent these people transform Obama into things that hunt their disturbed mind. OBAMA is the president that the great America needs right now. “GOD WITH YOU OBAMA, you will surely win the presidency to the delight of true americans”

May 27, 2008 - 11:22 pm M.E.:

To Gringo:

The most serious Spanish digital editions are these:

http://www.libertaddigital.com/

http://www.gees.org/

May 28, 2008 - 2:12 am M.E.:

To John Samford:

I agree with you: Anyone rational is against war. But we live in an irrational World. So we, rational men, must fight against the irrational demons. So it was in the beginnings of times. So it will be in the end.

Michel Nostradamus

May 28, 2008 - 2:54 am TLM:

I also agree war is intrinsically irrational, and particularly the the type of total war practiced in the West since the time of the Greeks. Ironic, I suppose, that our study of man’s irrational nature also began with that most rational of people. VDH’s writings have added much to our understanding on this topic.

Richard: No single source of information about Europe is sufficient on its own. This site adds to my understanding. You may note a diversity of opinion developing in the Comments section here, and of course we Americans love diversity. We preach it like a religion, but too often practice something other. For the diverse conglomeration of nations that is Europe, with its 2,500 years of written history, I find the insights of a classicist /historian like VDH helpful. The alternative is to rely on the superficial main stream media, and remain ignorant. From my point of view, your opinions are welcome here.

May 28, 2008 - 6:19 am vb:

Richard: I agree that the image of the US is still pretty bad on both sides of the political spectrum. Aside from a few voices like Richard Herzinger the public gets a very slanted view of the US. Our mistakes, failures, and scandals are frequently used to distract opinion from Europe’s own.

Regarding Americans talking as if Europe is one homogeneous mass: I think we tend to concentrate on countries where a comparison of fruitful. The Scandinavian countries until recently were very homogeneous and didn’t necessarily offer models appropriate to a vast and diverse country like the US. The stagnant growth of the German economy is important because of its global weight.

Europeans do the same kind of picking and choosing when they discuss specific issues. Germany has been looking closely at Finnish and Swedish school models but not paying too much attention to Malta’s. And there have certainly been a lot of recent comparisons between Swiss and EU tax systems.

May 28, 2008 - 6:49 am M.E.:

To BMoon:

Obama’s “monstrous propaganda machine” reminds me a Russian joke of the Soviet times. The American intelligence Service prepared for a special mission a spy. His training was long and careful. He spoke Russian without any accent like a true Russian countryman. So he was parachuted in the country in deep Russia. Walking along a road he meets a Russian woman. They greet each other. The woman asks him: How do you get on in the US? He answers in his very best Ukrainian accent: How could I know? I don’t even know where this America is. The woman retorts: Now, don’t try to dupe me just because I’m a simple country woman: you’re American yourself! Now the secret agent asks: But how could you guess? And she replies: Why! You’re all black!!! In fact, the USSR (United States Spy Recruitment) had sent a black spy.

In the same way, in Rev. Wright Spy School the liberals have trained for twenty years a fake black and a fake American for President.

May 28, 2008 - 9:18 am KCK:

My experience on Memorial Day, 2006, at the US Military Cemetery in Florence,Italy, and at battle sites in No. Italy, is a dovetail with VDH’s experiences.

The Italians (and a few Czechs) were effusive in their love for the veterans I accompanied on this trip. They verbally dropped the “L” bomb enough times (Love) that I began to feel the heartwarming sincerity behind it.

Memories are fresh of the WW II conditions suffered, and the wartime generation is making sure that the succeeding generations know what happened during the war and the Nazi occupation of (post-surrender) Italy. And they make no bones about who bore the brunt of victory in Italy - the USA.

It is a lifetime memory of mine to have have been isolated in a small town bar in Italy, and singled out for praise and accolades for simply being the son of a WW II G. I. I was not allowed to pay for my drink, and the proprietor introduced me around to the patrons, and then put on the Marine Corps Hymn (ironically) on the juke box.

These small town Italians LOVE YOU for being an American. I, for one, will always retort to anyone saying that we are hated in Europe, that this is totally false and absolute leftist propaganda.

May 28, 2008 - 9:19 am J. G.:

As a staunch defender of liberty, justice and democracy, if John McCain gets elected, I am moving to Europe where most people are still civilized. John “Bomb Iran” McCain and his minions of war and fear mongers will only continue to destroy our country. We will follow on the heels of all the other empires that fill the dust bins of history. How tragic!

May 28, 2008 - 12:05 pm TLM:

Russians always have good stories to tell. We have been blinded by our desire to be color-blind. Despite what he says, Barack Obama has never sought to be color-blind. Why as a young man he pursued an African American persona is a mystery to me, but he bought into it whole hog as we say, with all its attendant baggage. By his life story this was not predetermined and must have been a conscious decision on his part. Having worked with Kenyans in East Africa, I doubt his father saw himself as akin to black Americans. I’m not sure what Obama was dreaming about in regards to his father, but he must have realized this at some point in his life. African immigrants in the U.S. seem to me to retain their own identity and don’t necessarily go looking for an African American one. Same for blacks from the Caribbean and South America. Early in his campaign Obama was not convinced he would be received by African American voters as one of them. He ran as a post-racial candidate until he was past the early predominantly white states. In South Carolina, like a spy, his post-racial cover was blown, and not by Bill Clinton. He realized African Americans would take to him. He talked their lingo, sprinkled his speeches with buzz words from movies like Malcolm X, and Michelle by herself won many of them over. From there, he was on his way to the nomination. In retrospect, our bi-racial candidate, half African and half white American, turns out to be a typical politician, and not a post-racial one to boot. A duplicitous one, though that may be redundant. I think twenty odd years ago he began pursuing an African American identity merely to further his planned political career. His memoirs should be read with that in mind, so we may begin to truly see the man behind the political guise.

May 28, 2008 - 1:30 pm M.E.:

J. G.: typical leftist discourse made of ideological common places, i.e. nonsense that has no rapport with the historical and political reality. I would like to know, what European country do you choose as example of “liberty, justice and democracy”? Socialist Spain, lethargic France, submerged in wastes Italy? In any case, bon voyage!

May 29, 2008 - 2:03 am M.E.:

To TLM: another Russian story. An American and a Russian discuss in whose country there is more liberty. An American says: I can stay before the White House and cry “Nixon is an idiot”, and no one can make me nothing. Eh! a Russian reply. I can also stay in the Red Square and cry “Nixon is an idiot”, and not only nobody will make me nothing, but on the contrary, they will thank me for this.

May 29, 2008 - 3:32 am Brutus:

I think that for J.G. an exemplary country of liberty, justice and democracy is the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Ali Khamene’i is the most humanitarian leader of the World. So he wants to come in Europe and perhaps make a terrorist act (in Bush’s America it is impossible. How tragic!) in the name (naturally) of liberty, justice and democracy. As ideal country for this humanitarian act I would suggest Spain: the Spanish Govern is very benevolent with all progressive elements, especially with terrorists.

May 29, 2008 - 5:11 am L Nettles:

After reading the comments, I can understand the lack of activity in the Angry Letters section of Private Papers. If these “angry comments” here are examples of the best dissent available is not worth a response. VDH responding to Angry Readers was my favorite part of the blog.

May 29, 2008 - 8:52 am Gandalf:

To S. Camara:

“DEVIL WITH YOU OBAMA, you will not surely win the presidency to the fortune of the entire World”

May 29, 2008 - 10:22 am nancy Parker:

Children are not taught real history anymore in school. What do you expect? I tried to instill a sense of world history as well as US history in mine and behold! On their own they have chosen to be conservative. All it takes is enough truth to let them decide for themselves.

May 29, 2008 - 1:21 pm Richard:

M.E.: Regarding “liberty, justice and democracy”: I talked about Switzerland before, what about that? I hear Austria or Germany, the Scandinavian countries and some others aren’t too bad either. In fact, as I told before, it’s easy to find a bad example which is in this case Italy (and maybe a bit more limited France. Spain is more or less alright). And it is true, that all three (liberty, justice and democracy) came under repeated attacks during the last couple of years in most of the countries, but isn’t that exactly from the view that most of you hold here?

May 29, 2008 - 8:00 pm Javelin:

Wow, more generalizations and rationalizations from an intellectual who got too close to power. Of course, the mental midgets here love justifications for more war and love over generalizations about Europe, which VDH should know are untruths. If the only way you can feel good about america is too trash some other country or continent you know next to nothing about, maybe you should check your thinking?

May 29, 2008 - 8:43 pm M.E.:

To Richard:

I talked about Spain, France and Italy because I know well enough these countries and understand their languages. I speak only about what I know directly. Spain is not alright. This country is in process of the political and national decomposition. The socialist rule was destructive for Spain. Its “economic growth” is completely illusory. I agree with you that Europe is not “homogeneous mass”. There are many different situations and conditions. To stay, for example, in France and speak about all Europe is impossible. I read this page not to have information about Europe but to study various points of view. My irony about “liberty, justice and democracy” was irony about the idealistic vision of political reality. In any case, as the ancient Romans said, Rome is the World. So what happens in the US makes me anxious. I doubt in all, but I am sure that destiny of the World is decided in the US, and new American messiah Obama is absolutely ill-fated personage. Excuse me for my poor English.

May 30, 2008 - 2:32 am Richard:

M.E.: I’ll never understand why people always talk about the “messiah” thing as if that has anything to do with reality. Sure, there is a lot excitement, but the same has happened time and time again in presidential primaries and on other occasions. This time it is just a bit more amplified, probably partly because of the new media, and mostly because of the disastrous last presidency. And I really don’t see why an Obama presidency would be so bad for the “destiny” of the world. After the chaos the last 8 years brought us, it will be really difficult for either Obama or McCain the screw things up even worse (Sometimes when I listen to “maverick” McCain I fear a bit his visions for the world, but at least he seems to much more considerate than Bush).

May 30, 2008 - 10:30 am TLM:

Richard: Balanced, in depth article on John McCain 2 weeks ago in The New York Times Magazine. He does say things to get elected. He has to. (www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/magazine/18mccain-t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin)

May 30, 2008 - 6:27 pm Normicon:

I paid about 35 bucks a month in California, right now I’m paying about 19 bucks in Europe, just thought I’d let you know.

May 31, 2008 - 12:14 am tanstaafl:

“…we hear remonstrations about the “money culture” and how young students are to not to pursue the big money and house (as he has lately), but instead pursue a path of public service that, as usual, is analogous to that once followed by the noble Mr. Obama himself.”

Mr. Obama’s Memorial Day advice isn’t actually advice he himself has followed. Or Teddy Kennedy, for that matter, for whom Mr. Obama was substituting as commencement speaker.

In southside Chicago politics, a rising star can buy (or have bought for him, cf Tony Rezko) damn near anything.

As my Daddy used to say (ironically enough)…”Do as I say, not as I do.”

May 31, 2008 - 6:45 am John Samford:

IIRC, it was Alstair Cooke who said “Americans think 100 years is a long time while Europeans think 100 miles is a long ways”. It could have been Churchill or that French guy whose name escapes me at the moment but was noted for his observations on life in America.
Regardless, most American’s see Europe as a tiny little place. That has a lot to do with treating France as if it was the same as Greece or Norway. Since most of the serious killing in Europe happend centuries ago, it is beyond the ken of the average American, who considers the last Super Bowl to be ancient history, if they can bother to even think back that far. So they have no conception of things like the 30 years war and how seriously Euros take their differences.

The internet will see a lot more Obamanics over the next few weeks. Ohhhh…..BAMA knows he has one chance and one chance only, which is to force Billery out of the primary before the Convention. Once the Convention is called to order, Ohhh….BAMA is toast. So I expect to see hordes ( think Mongols, or Hun’s) of Obamanics running the blogs trying to put more pressure on Billery.

Jun 1, 2008 - 11:34 pm Wiliam Kovaccs:

I would like to take issue with your use of the term “the six million” in referring to the Jewish Holocaust of WWII. (This has been a personal issue since Steven Spielber used the term in his Academy Awards speach.) The term begs the question “What about the other six?” Roughly 12 million people died in Nazi custody in WWII. This includes 2-3 million soviet POW’s, 2 milion Poles and 500,000 Roma. Some gassed, some murdered but most killed through “Vernichtung durch Arbeit” (Annilation by over-work).
The Jewish Holocaust was particularly vile because of the lack of any readily comprehensible logical explanation, its horrific industrialization and its rigid book keeping. It must be remembered and that memory defended, but to forget the other six is obscene.

Jun 30, 2008 - 3:08 pm

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