William Pfaff
The relationship between
Today's relationship with
The important change today is in
Since World War II, under the influence of the dual victories of that war and the Cold War, European politicians, especially in
The U.S. was not "there" -- in the European war against Nazi
America was actually supplying war goods, on credit, for which
No discount was offered to recognize
America's war against radical Muslims is what divides the alliance, such as it remains. This seems not to be widely understood.
What good, he asks, is a scattered band of European states with small military forces and without the least geopolitical influence? This deprives the U.S. "of a partner willing or able to shoulder global burdens."
This is keenly felt, he says, at the present time, when the U.S. wants reinforcements for its army and judges its allies according to what they can and will do. Kupchan and other Americans misunderstand. America's "international missions" are self-elected -- its alone -- and its policy is one of war, in which the Europeans no longer believe.
William Pfaff's latest book: "The Irony of Manifest Destiny: The Tragedy of America's Foreign Policy"
Available at Amazon.com:
The End of the Free Market: Who Wins the War Between States and Corporations?
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Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power, and Civilization
At War with the Weather: Managing Large-Scale Risks in a New Era of Catastrophes
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- Ukrainian Blues: Viktor Yanukovych's Rise and Democracy's Fall
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- New Guard, Old Policy on Afghanistan
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(C) 2010 William Pfaff