If you look at Mr Obama’s top priorities, you get a sense of just how little the Europeans are prepared to give him. More help in Afghanistan? Most Europeans will do the bare minimum. A co-ordinated fiscal stimulus? Sorry, Europe is out of cash as well as troops.

Europe’s grudging attitude to the new president is not only discourteous. It is unwise and self-defeating. Mr Obama is an internationalist. But the American public is war weary and preoccupied by the domestic economic disaster. If even a liberal, internationalist president seems to be getting nothing out of America’s allies, then protectionist and isolationist voices in Congress will only get louder.

Any such development would be disastrous for Europe. The US remains the core of the global economy and the guarantor of security in Europe. The continent’s leaders have a huge interest in fostering and fanning the new American internationalism represented by Mr Obama. Instead, they seem to be doing their utmost to pour cold water on it.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Economics, Politics • Foreign Relations • Politics in General • Office of the President • President Barack Obama • * International News & Commentary • America/U.S.A. • Europe

1. tgs wrote: America will be wise to heed the advice of our Founders about no entangling alliances and start taking care of the needs of our country. Free international trade - yes. The global managed trade we have now - no. March 31, 8:37 am | [comment link]

2. The_Archer_of_the_Forest wrote: This is just further proof in my mind that Europe just doesn’t like America. They liked to blame it all on Bush, but there are copious amounts of other reasons. March 31, 8:42 am | [comment link]

3. Sick & Tired of Nuance wrote: Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! “If even a liberal, internationalist president seems to be getting nothing out of America’s allies, then protectionist and isolationist voices in Congress will only get louder.” Oh, I hope this analysis is true!  Ditto #1.  Well said.  About the only international influence I think would be beneficial to the US is the mounting pressure to move from fiat currency back to a gold/silver standard. March 31, 10:47 am | [comment link]

4. libraryjim wrote: Let’s hope seeing oversees criticism of the president, more in the US will find a spine to start criticizing his unconstitutional actions. March 31, 12:43 pm | [comment link]

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