President Obama at the G20From The Telegraph:
Europe's passion for the States is unlikely to be reciprocated, says Janet Daley.
America has become quite accustomed to being despised by Europe. I wonder how Europe will adjust to being hated – or worse, dismissed – by America.
What's that? You thought that the contemptuous attitude to Old Europe had been definitively trounced when the swaggering Texan was replaced by Barack Obama, the cosmopolitan sophisticate who took time out from his own domestic political campaign to address adoring crowds in Berlin? Bizarrely enough, precisely the opposite has happened. Paradoxically, what Mr Obama has succeeded in demonstrating to his own nation is that no amount of charm and flattery, no degree of self-abasement and apology for American "arrogance" is going to get any meaningful reciprocity from the Old Europeans (which is to say France and Germany, and the EU which they dominate) who could give lessons in sublime, transcendental arrogance to any American president however urbane and nuanced his message might be.
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My Comment: The Europeans should not be surprised. Lets face it, when President Obama was in Europe he received little if any support for his foreign policy initiatives. European support for Afghanistan ... a few trainers and soldiers for the election. North Korea .... nothing. Iran .... nothing. Taking Guantanamo inmates ... only one for France.
President Obama has made it very clear on changing the status quo. The Europeans must now wonder if that also includes them.