Europe is healing give her time!!

Submitted by Rudolph (United Kingdom), Jan 25, 2005 at 17:36

I agree with the comments a Finn made earlier that Europe has had to deal with a great deal over the past 100 years, downfall of imperialism, the great depression, two world wars, killing millions of its citizens, the iron curtain etc. Having to rebuild physically and economically while American SOIL has been mainly untouch save the soldiers buried in it. I think most Europeans would agree that they owe America gratitude but america must realise also that they were not the only ones to be effected. Britain and her commonwealth counterparts did a great deal for her occupied European allies as did the Russians and the resistance movements until America's arrival. America without the allies help would not of been strong enough to overpower both the Japanese empire and the Third Reich so a BIG JOINT effort there. If one of use makes claims over who was the greatest we insult all the brave men and women who helped to maintain peace in europe and the pacific.

The cold war did not end because of American might alone but through Soviet flaws in its government and bureaucracy.

America has made mistakes just like Europe - Vietnam, South Korea (french there too) Hiroshima, funding of terrorist groups eg. IRA and of Al Quida when it was suppose to oppose the Soviets in Afganistan. *Europe - Imperialism, Appeasement of germany (bad move Britain), the versailles treaty, Potsdam etc.

Americans need to realise as do Europeans that we are all part of the same system -- democracy! We have our differences in social and foriegn affairs, but we should be sticking together and not asking the other to compromise its values. We all have to realise also that the European Union is in its infancy and like the Finnish guy said it needs to iron out the bureaucracy, waste and self interest of its member states and settle on a constitution that will make us stronger both as a union and as a friend to other nations.

One last thing i want to say is that if America or any other country that we had fair relations with were to be unfairly attacked by any nation we would come to their aid in FORCE: Europe has not lost its battle yet we're just more weary of war -- remember the WW1 and 2. I don't think many Europeans would sponsor any other wars on nations that have shown no real EVIDENCE of external aggression and that may be a difference between the US and European states.

Student from the very small British empire ( not a 'hippy' nixonites!! )

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