Bush is more widely and deeply disliked in Europe than any U.S. president in history
Sid9
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Berlin
Having spent the last 10 days traveling to Britain, France, Germany and
Switzerland, I have one small suggestion for President Bush. I suggest that
when he comes to Europe to mend fences next month he give only one speech.
It should be at his first stop in Brussels and it should consist of
basically three words: "Read my ears."
Let me put this as bluntly as I can: There is nothing that the Europeans
want to hear from George Bush, there is nothing that they will listen to
from George Bush that will change their minds about him or the Iraq war or
U.S. foreign policy. Mr. Bush is more widely and deeply disliked in Europe
than any U.S. president in history. Some people here must have a good thing
to say about him, but I haven't met them yet.
In such an environment, the only thing that Mr. Bush could do to change
people's minds about him would be to travel across Europe and not say a
single word - but just listen. If he did that, Mr. Bush would bowl the
Europeans over. He would absolutely disarm and flummox people here - and
improve his own image markedly. All it would take for him would be just a
few words: "Read my ears. I have come to Europe to listen, not to speak. I
will give my Europe speech when I come home - after I've heard what you have
to say."
If Mr. Bush did that none of the European pundits would be able to pick
apart his speeches here and mock the contradictions between his words and
deeds. None of them would comment on his delivery and what he failed to
mention. Instead, all the European commentators, politicians and
demonstrators would start fighting with one another over what to say to the
president. It might even force the Europeans to get out of their bad habit
of just saying, "George Bush," and everybody laughing or sneering as if that
ends the conversation, and Europe doesn't have to declare what it stands
for.
Listening is also a sign of respect. It is a sign that you actually value
what the other person might have to say. If you just listen to someone
first, it is amazing how much they will listen to you back. Most Europeans,
though, are convinced that George Bush is deaf - that he cannot listen or
hear. Just proving that he is not deaf, and therefore the Europeans don't
have to shout, would do wonders for Mr. Bush's standing.
What would Mr. Bush hear? Some of it is classic Eurowhining, easily
dismissible. But some of it is very heartfelt, even touching. I heard it
while doing interviews at the Pony Club, a trendy bar/beauty parlor in East
Berlin. And more and more I think it explains why many Europeans dislike Mr.
Bush so intensely. It's this: Europeans love to make fun of naïve American
optimism, but deep down, they envy it and they want America to be that open,
foreigner-embracing, carefree, goofily enthusiastic place that cynical old
Europe can never be. Many young Europeans blame Mr. Bush for making America,
since 9/11, into a strange new land that exports fear more than hope, and
has become dark and brooding - a place whose greeting to visitors has gone
from "Give me your tired, your poor" to "Give me your fingerprints." They
look at Mr. Bush as someone who stole something precious from them.
Tim Kreutzfeldt, the bar owner, said to me: "Bush took away our America. I
mean we love America. We are very sad about America. We believe in America
and American values, but not in Bush. And it makes us angry that he
distorted our image of the country which is so important to us. It is not
what America stands for - and this makes us angry and it should make every
American angry, because America lost so much in its reputation worldwide."
The Bush team, he added, is giving everyone in the world the impression that
"somebody is coming to kill you."
Stefan Elfenbein, a food critic nursing a beer at our table, added: "I know
many people who don't want to travel to America anymore. ... People are
afraid to be hassled at the border. ... We all discuss it, when somebody
goes to America [we now ask:] 'Are you sure?' We had hope that Kerry would
win and would make a statement, 'America is back to what it was four years
ago.' We hoped that he would be the symbol, the figure who would say,
'[America] is the country that welcomes everybody again.' [But] now we have
to wait four more years, hopefully for somebody to give us back the country
we knew and liked."
Yes, yes, there are legitimate counters to all these points. But before
anyone here will listen to Mr. Bush make those counterpoints, he will have
to really listen to them first.
--
<=========================>
Support our troops...Bring them home now. Oppose the Bush administration
<=========================>
http://www.house.gov/appropriations_democrats/caughtonfilm.htm
"a catastrophic victory"
"Mission Accomplished"
"Bring 'em on!"
"We found Weapons of Mass Destruction"
"Mistakes were made"
"You're doing a superb job."
Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11
9/11 had nothing to with Iraq.
Terry
than Michael More, Hollywood freaks & geeks, and college social studies
professors. So what!
TDG
Black Elk
"Terry" <tgreens...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1106878059.730d6530c32dddbabf88e0e6f1fc8a69@teranews...
The greater the leader, the greater the follower. Personalities who as
individuals are particularly narcissistic are the most qualified to fit this
function. The narcissism of the leader who is convinced of his greatness,
and who has no doubts, is precisely what attracts the narcissism of those
who submit to him. The half-insane leader is often the most successful one
until his lack of objective judgment, his rage reactions in consequence of
any set-back, his need to keep his image of omnipotence may provoke him to
make mistakes which lead to his destruction. But there are always gifted
half-psychotics at hand to satisfy the demands of a narcissistic mass.
Erich Fromm
'The Heart of Man - It's Genius for Good and Evil'
--
They Knew...
Despite the whitewash, we now know that the Bush administration was warned
before the war that its Iraq claims were weak
http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/they_knew_0802/
>
>
Don W. McCollough
"Terry" <tgreens...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1106878059.730d6530c32dddbabf88e0e6f1fc8a69@teranews...
Who happen to be right.
> So what!
> TDG
>
>
Fudgepackin' Drudge
> (in article <vVgKd.25224$ky2....@bignews4.bellsouth.net>):
Your Ope is NOT the only but the consensus...
--
I'm burnin', I'm burnin', I'm burnin' for yooooooouuu...I'm sure it's just a
touch of gonorrhea :)
Monkeysee Bushdoo
(in article <1106878468.49a8b1190b0e540425ae8040ae3b199b@teranews>):
> "Terry" <tgreens...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:1106878059.730d6530c32dddbabf88e0e6f1fc8a69@teranews...
>> Which only proves that Europeans are leftist ass holes similar to but
>> worse than Michael More, Hollywood freaks & geeks, and college social
studies
>> professors. So what!
>>
>> TDG
>
> The greater the leader, the greater the follower. Personalities who as
> individuals are particularly narcissistic are the most qualified to fit this
> function. The narcissism of the leader who is convinced of his greatness,
> and who has no doubts, is precisely what attracts the narcissism of those
> who submit to him. The half-insane leader is often the most successful one
> until his lack of objective judgment, his rage reactions in consequence of
> any set-back, his need to keep his image of omnipotence may provoke him to
> make mistakes which lead to his destruction. But there are always gifted
> half-psychotics at hand to satisfy the demands of a narcissistic mass.
Very well put...this is also known as a white-knuckling alcoholic that is not
working a program :)
>
> Erich Fromm
>
> 'The Heart of Man - It's Genius for Good and Evil'
--
A tall waft can be done in short order...beware of the waft.
Steven L.
Sid9 wrote:
> Bush so intensely. It's this: Europeans love to make fun of naďve American
> optimism, but deep down, they envy it and they want America to be that open,
> foreigner-embracing, carefree, goofily enthusiastic place that cynical old
> Europe can never be. Many young Europeans blame Mr. Bush for making America,
> since 9/11,
America was "carefree" right up until the moment that the second
airliner hit the second World Trade Center tower. And from then on,
carefree no more. That was BEFORE Bush said *anything* substantive
about what he was going to do about terrorism.
The moment Osama bin Laden struck, America's days of being "carefree"
were over until the war is won.
Europeans don't understand that because they have already made their
private appeasement deals with Islamo-fascists. They grovel before
Osama and they groveled before Saddam and now they're groveling before
Iran. Thus they know that they're safe--for the moment--and who cares
how many thousands or millions of those upstart uncouth Americans are
killed by terrorists? We'll shed a few crocodile tears for them and
then go back to sneering at the survivors.
FUCK THEM ALL.
--
Steven D. Litvintchouk
Email: sdli...@earthlinkNOSPAM.net
Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me.
news...@newsfeeds.com
>> (in article <vVgKd.25224$ky2....@bignews4.bellsouth.net>):
>
>> Read My Ears
>>
>> By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
>>
>> Berlin
>>
>>
>> Having spent the last 10 days traveling to Britain, France, Germany and
>> Switzerland, I have one small suggestion for President Bush. I suggest that
>> when he comes to Europe to mend fences next month he give only one speech.
>> It should be at his first stop in Brussels and it should consist of
>> basically three words: "Read my ears."
>>
>>
>> Let me put this as bluntly as I can: There is nothing that the Europeans
>> want to hear from George Bush, there is nothing that they will listen to
>> from George Bush that will change their minds about him or the Iraq war or
>> U.S. foreign policy. Mr. Bush is more widely and deeply disliked in Europe
>> than any U.S. president in history. Some people here must have a good thing
>> to say about him, but I haven't met them yet.
>>
>> In such an environment, the only thing that Mr. Bush could do to change
>> people's minds about him would be to travel across Europe and not say a
>> single word - but just listen. If he did that, Mr. Bush would bowl the Europeans over.
>>
When someone listens, you assume that they understand what you are talking about.
The problem for GWB, is that he probably wouldn't understand what they were talking about,
even if every word was translated into English.
Besides, the NeoCons have their own agenda, which is quite seperate from the rest of the world.
A big part of the problem is that many Non-Americans just can't understand GWB.
This has got nothing to do with foreign languages or the English language.
Many American Presidents in the past have made perfect sense to foreigners.
But GWB doesn't.
I believe that this has much to do with the difference in culture between "Red America"
and "Blue America". And this difference is made worse by the NeoCon influence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
George Z. Bush
"Steven L." <sdli...@earthlinkNOSPAM.net> wrote in message
news:dxiKd.2721$Pi....@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> America was "carefree" right up until the moment that the second airliner hit
> the second World Trade Center tower. And from then on, carefree no more.
> That was BEFORE Bush said *anything* substantive about what he was going to do
> about terrorism.
>
> The moment Osama bin Laden struck, America's days of being "carefree" were
> over until the war is won.
>
> Europeans don't understand that because they have already made their private
> appeasement deals with Islamo-fascists. They grovel before Osama and they
> groveled before Saddam and now they're groveling before Iran. Thus they know
> that they're safe--for the moment--and who cares how many thousands or
> millions of those upstart uncouth Americans are killed by terrorists? We'll
> shed a few crocodile tears for them and then go back to sneering at the
> survivors.
>
> FUCK THEM ALL.
I hate to disillusion you, but that won't work. They've got us outnumbered and
your hard on won't last long enough to get the job done. Your simplistic
solution to a complex problem isn't a solution at all....it doesn't seem to be
much more than an emotional response to the frustration of not understanding
what's going on around us. But it's your nickel and you have the right to use
it however you want.
~ BUSH is a BIG FAT HAIRY VAGINA ~
> America was "carefree" right up until the moment that the second
> airliner hit the second World Trade Center tower. And from then on,
> carefree no more. That was BEFORE Bush said *anything* substantive
> about what he was going to do about terrorism.
>
> The moment Osama bin Laden struck, America's days of being "carefree"
> were over until the war is won.
>
> Europeans don't understand that because they have already made their
> private appeasement deals with Islamo-fascists. They grovel before
> Osama and they groveled before Saddam and now they're groveling
before
> Iran. Thus they know that they're safe--for the moment--and who
cares
> how many thousands or millions of those upstart uncouth Americans are
> killed by terrorists? We'll shed a few crocodile tears for them and
> then go back to sneering at the survivors.
>
> FUCK THEM ALL.
-
wonder how many hookers this guy strangled...
> Steven D. Litvintchouk
> Email: sdli...@earthlink.net
~z~
"Steven L." <sdli...@earthlinkNOSPAM.net> wrote in message
news:dxiKd.2721$Pi....@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...
>
>
>> enthusiastic place that cynical old Europe can never be. Many young
>> Europeans blame Mr. Bush for making America, since 9/11,
>
> America was "carefree" right up until the moment that the second airliner
> hit the second World Trade Center tower. And from then on, carefree no
> more. That was BEFORE Bush said *anything* substantive about what he was
> going to do about terrorism.
>
> The moment Osama bin Laden struck,
OBL had nothing to do with 9/11. It was BUSH, CHENEY, RUMSFELD, et al.
America's days of being "carefree"
> were over until the war is won.
What? the Bush War of Occupation for multinational corporations? Would you
die for greed? Why haven't you enlisted? Sit on your velvet cushion and
whine while others die?
>
> Europeans don't understand that because they have already made their
> private appeasement deals with Islamo-fascists. They grovel before Osama
> and they groveled before Saddam and now they're groveling before Iran.
Europeans had nothing to do with this---this is 100% USA.
Keep sitting on your butt and keep your blinders on. Your world view is so
very, very naive. You support Hitler, yet how about putting your blood at
risk for this cult, this crime family?
Just another chickenhawk.
A...@odds.net
"Steven L." wrote:
> > Bush so intensely. It's this: Europeans love to make fun of naïve American
> > optimism, but deep down, they envy it and they want America to be that open,
> > foreigner-embracing, carefree, goofily enthusiastic place that cynical old
> > Europe can never be. Many young Europeans blame Mr. Bush for making America,
> > since 9/11,
>
> America was "carefree" right up until the moment that the second
> airliner hit the second World Trade Center tower. And from then on,
> carefree no more. That was BEFORE Bush said *anything* substantive
> about what he was going to do about terrorism.
>
> The moment Osama bin Laden struck, America's days of being "carefree"
> were over until the war is won.
>
> Europeans don't understand that because they have already made their
> private appeasement deals with Islamo-fascists. They grovel before
> Osama and they groveled before Saddam and now they're groveling before
> Iran. Thus they know that they're safe--for the moment--and who cares
> how many thousands or millions of those upstart uncouth Americans are
> killed by terrorists? We'll shed a few crocodile tears for them and
> then go back to sneering at the survivors.
>
> FUCK THEM ALL.
>
> --
> Steven D. Litvintchouk
> Email: sdli...@earthlinkNOSPAM.net
>
> Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me.
Seems to me the term "global" was scoffed at by the all-of-a-sudden global
warrior, trying now to cajole/hoodwink the rest of the world into joining his
"freedom is a fabulous, beautiful thing" (a/k/a "my way or the highway")
parade...rain seems to be the forecast, however.
It also seems to me the U.S. did some grovelling of its own along the way, at the
feet of the same tyrants and terrors....plus a few others.
Interesting, how almost word-for-word, the "new" Bush doctrine was sung about by
the Young Rascals back in 1974...all except for these lines, as they relate to our
less fortunates:
"If there's a man who is down and needs a helping hand
All it takes is you to understand and to see him through"
Deaf Power
Diplomacy, simpleton... diplomacy.
Diplomacy is not in Dubya's vocabulary.
Seawolf
"Fredric L. Rice" <FR...@SkepticTank.ORG> wrote in message
news:10vlth2...@corp.supernews.com...
> "Steven L." <sdli...@earthlinkNOSPAM.net> wrote:
>
>>America was "carefree" right up until the moment that the second
>>airliner hit the second World Trade Center tower.
>
> partners until your Fuhrer stole the election, then your Fuhrer allowed
> his Saudi buddies to attack New York.
>
> Clinton kept your Fuhrer's family friends from attacking New York. Your
> Fuhrer is such a fuck up cocaine addled monster that he stepped aside
> and let his pals in.
Wow "Fredric", you might want to check the adjustment of your tinfoil
hat...........
>
> ---
> Stop Elmer Fudd web site: http://www.ElmerFudd.US/
> Covert text file server: http://www.notserver.com/
> Scientology crooks: http://sf.irk.ru/www/ot3/otiii-gif.html
>
Fredric L. Rice
>Steven L. wrote:
>> k illed by terrorists? We'll shed a few crocodile tears for them and
>> then go back to sneering at the survivors.
>> FUCK THEM ALL.
>wonder how many hookers this guy strangled...
<laughing> They still haven't caught the Zodiac Killer, either.
Fredric L. Rice
>America was "carefree" right up until the moment that the second
>airliner hit the second World Trade Center tower.
No, American was protected from Bush's Saudi Arabian corporate and family
partners until your Fuhrer stole the election, then your Fuhrer allowed
his Saudi buddies to attack New York.
Clinton kept your Fuhrer's family friends from attacking New York. Your
Fuhrer is such a fuck up cocaine addled monster that he stepped aside
and let his pals in.
---
Williams
no, it's the drugs talking:
Newsgroups: sci.med, sci.med.pharmacy
From: Steven D. Litvintchouk
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 17:55:00 GMT
Subject: Cross-allergic reaction between Morphine and Oxycodone?
---------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med.dentistry
From: Steven D. Litvintchouk
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 23:18:33 GMT
Subject: Is There An Antidote To Novocain?
---------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med.pharmacy, sci.med
From: Steven D. Litvintchouk
Date: 1997/06/10
Subject: cephalosporins with low cross-reactivity to penicillin?
---------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med.pharmacy, sci.med
From: Steven D.Litvintchouk
Date: 1997/02/28
Subject: dry mouth from ciprofloxacin
---------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med.pharmacy, sci.med
From: Steven D. Litvintchouk
Date: 08 Dec 1994 23:21:50 GMT
Subject: Re: Aspirin & Alcohol
---------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med.dentistry, sci.med
From: Steven Litvintchouk
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 18:58:13 GMT
Subject: abscessed tooth while on methylprednisone--what to do?
---------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med.dentistry
From: Steven D. Litvintchouk
Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2003 21:43:14 GMT
Subject: Teeth So Worn That Crowns Won't Fit
---------------------------------------
Newsgroups: sci.med
From: Steven D. Litvintchouk
Date: 1996/02/04
Subject: HELP! I'm on Lorabid but I was allergic to penicillin
---------------------------------------
etc.etc
Rich Travsky
Your post proves them right.
RT
Julian D.
Rice) wrote:
>"Steven L." <sdli...@earthlinkNOSPAM.net> wrote:
>
>>America was "carefree" right up until the moment that the second
>>airliner hit the second World Trade Center tower.
>
>No, American was protected from Bush's Saudi Arabian corporate and family
>partners until your Fuhrer stole the election, then your Fuhrer allowed
>his Saudi buddies to attack New York.
>
>Clinton kept your Fuhrer's family friends from attacking New York. Your
>Fuhrer is such a fuck up cocaine addled monster that he stepped aside
>and let his pals in.
I hope they nominate you to head the DNC.
>---
>Stop Elmer Fudd web site: http://www.ElmerFudd.US/
>Covert text file server: http://www.notserver.com/
>Scientology crooks: http://sf.irk.ru/www/ot3/otiii-gif.html
JD
"On the other hand, I think sometimes I take kind of a delight
in who the critics are."
-President George W. Bush
Time's Person Of The Year
2004
"The course of this nation does not depend on the decisions of
others."
-President George W. Bush
SOA
2003
"Exit polls do not support the allegations of fraud due to rigging of
voting equipment. Our analysis of the difference between the vote
count and the exit poll at each polling location in our sample has
found no systematic differences for precincts using touch screen and
optical scan voting equipment," the report found.
-CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/01/19/exit.polls/