When Nope Trumps Hope

Like many people, I've been counting on a new era of cooperation from newly happy European allies to man up and contribute to our common fight against the jihadis. Once the evil Bush was gone, all would be right with the world.

So this news was obviously a shock to all those who believe that President Bush alienated Europe and all will be well from now on. The French won't commit more troops to actually fight in Afghanistan. And the other European states are even less eager to play a role in our "good war":

[A] Harris poll for the FT shows that clear majorities of people in the UK, France, Italy and Germany believe that their governments must not send more forces to Afghanistan, irrespective of demands that the new American head of state might make.

They are all, again, Americans? Apparently not. Well, not enough to actually fight at our side.

Which is, of course, predictable.