Blogosphere to Europe: No Free Rides on US Blood
American bloggers and their readersThe Atlantic Community interviewed 14 policy analysts from ten European countries on Iraq. The results were published in three parts:
1. European Analysts Want America to Stay in Iraq
2. Europe Should Help, But Not Follow US Lead and
3. Premature US Withdrawal Would Threaten Europe.
Twenty blogs have linked to various parts of our survey results. Most blogs wrote positive reviews, summarizing the survey’s main points from their perspective. Some did not comment, but recommended our survey with a longer quote and a link, for instance Andrew Sullivan, who blogs for The Atlantic Monthly and has a large and loyal readership.
On European Support for Continued US Engagement in Iraq
US bloggers were most drawn to the fact that a big majority of European analysts want the United States to stay in Iraq, because these results contrast with public opinion polls. According to a recent BBC poll, large majorities in France (75%), Germany (72%), Italy (72%), Spain (68%), and Great Britain (65%) think foreign troops should leave Iraq within a year.
Ed Morrissey concluded his positive review in the very popular Captain’s Quarters with an expression of hope for more European support for Iraq: “These analysts do not represent European governments or popular sentiment. However, they may have influence in leading both to viewing the situation in more practical terms, which can only help in gaining assistance for Iraqi stability.”
The Huffington Post’s Sam Stein contrasts the European with the American expert opinions: “Ironically, nearly 7 in 10 American foreign policy experts surveyed by the Center for American Progress were in favor of a drawdown and redeployment of U.S. forces out of Iraq.” Why, he asks, is “Europe’s foreign policy intelligencia [sic] closer to the Bush administration than its American counterpart?” Stein has some potential reasons:
Of course, few of these European countries have boots on the ground — which might make it easier for the reigning sentiment among these foreign policy experts to be in favor of “continued military involvement to secure a still tenuous security situation, and against any rushed exit from Iraq for the sake of short-term political goals.”
Such sentiments were more strongly expressed by those who commented on these blog entries. For example, Platon wrote on Die Welt Debatte that “these so-called experts have an easy going. It is not their sons and daughters to be sacrificed in an unjust war that violates international law.”
Commenters on both conservative and liberal US blogs expressed strong disappointment, frustration and even anger at European policy on Iraq. Harry Schell wrote in one of 20 comments at Captain’s Quarters:
It makes perfect sense for the Europeans to fear a US retreat in Iraq. It also makes me wonder when they will stop their free ride on US blood in staying that course. Even the involvement in Afghanistan is limited and equivocal by Germany.
Similarly, Xysea commented in one of 19 comments on Dailykos on the European analysts’ support for continued US involvement:
Europeans love to condemn American policies and practices, while secretly desiring us to do what it is they are decrying. This is nothing new. They like our $$, they like it when we clean up messes for them, but they love to trash our culture and our reputations.
Tbetz, however, was more understanding of Europe: “They want to enforce the not-Pottery Barn Rule. In Europe’s eyes, we broke it (despite their warnings about what would happen), so we have to pay for it.”
Disclosure: The questions posed to these European experts dealt specifically with the best plan for Iraq. When comments focus on a lack of compassion for US lives and accuse Europe of a free ride, we should clarify that analysts were not asked directly about what would be best for the United States, but rather about specific risks and threats for Europe. We can assume from their responses, however, that many European analysts also believe that a premature withdrawal would have a negative impact on the United States’ reputation abroad. Regardless of how they have interpreted the results, readers of the US blogosphere have given highly interesting responses which should be taken seriously by Europeans.
On Engaging Iran and Syria
Several bloggers noted that many of the European analysts surveyed had criticized the US for relying too much on military power and not focusing enough on political solutions to internal Iraqi politics and issues with border countries Iran and Syria. Some US bloggers argued that negotiating with Iran and Syria is more complicated than Europeans seem to think. As Second Hand Conjecture blog editor Lance pointed out in a comment:
Engagement with Iran and Syria is a problematic path. It is being attempted, but of course the other sides have to be willing to do so in a way that is helpful. So far the failures on that front are consistently placed at the feet of the administration. However, failure is a two way street. Neither Iran or Syria has been willing to cooperate on terms that limit them as well as us.
These blogs link to the Atlantic Community’s survey
We appreciate all links and encourage our readers to check out the arguments made on these blogs and their comment sections since there is not enough space here to cover all arguments.
- Ulf Gartzke, The Weekly Standard Blog: European Political Analysts Fear Precipitous U.S. Withdrawal From Iraq (commenting not enabled)
- Ezra Klein, writing fellow for The American Prospect: Does The Military Matter? (4 comments)
- Joe Noory, ¡No Pasarán! (Popular blog run by Americans in France): Beneath the Bluster: Europeans Want America to Stay in Iraq (11 comments)
- Hawkeye, View From Above: 26 Reasons For Staying In Iraq (16 comments)
- Ed Morrissey, Captain’s Quarters: Does Europe Oppose An American Withdrawal? (20 comments)
- Sam Stein, The Huffington Post: European Elites And Bush, On The Same Page? (commenting not enabled)
- Dailykos: European Pundits Want America to Stay in Iraq (19 comments)
- Lance, A Second Hand Conjecture: European analysts on withdrawal (5 comments)
- Marc Schulman, American Future Europeans to Americans: Don’t Leave Iraq (3 comments). Same post on The Van Der Galiën Gazette: Europeans to Americans: Don’t Leave Iraq (6 comments)
- Michael van der Galiën, The Van Der Galiën Gazette: European Experts on Iraq (1 comment)
- Planck’s Constant: Not Everyone wants us to Leave Iraq (2 comments)
- Atlantic Community Team, Die Welt Debatte: Europeans Want America to Stay in Iraq? (2 comments)
- Joerg Wolf, Atlantic Review: European Policy Analysts Want the United States to Stay in Iraq (40 comments)
- Rantburg: Europeans want US to stay in Iraq - for Europe’s sake? (10 comments)
- Hardy: What experts say about Iraq
- The Cool Blue Blog: Democrats go European; that’s right
- Conservative Blog Therapy: What’s the most important thing Americans need to know about Iraq that they don’t currently know?
- Andrew Sullivan, The Atlantic Monthly: European Analysts and Iraq (commenting not enabled)
- Luis I. Gómez, Desde el exilio: Cuál es el mejor plan para Irak? (16 comments)
- Michael Miersch, Publizistischen Netzwerk Die Achse des Guten: Europäische Think Tanks: US-Army soll im Irak bleiben (commenting not enabled)
Written by: Joerg Wolf
