Are America and Europe drifting dangerously far apart?
The U.S. impact comes largely in the form of President Trump’s comments questioning America’s commitment to NATO and labeling the EU a “foe.” Trump’s tariff war with Europe (most recently with NATO member Turkey), his withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, his abandoning of the Iran nuclear agreement and his skepticism about Russian election meddling leave Europe doubting that it and the U.S. are committed to common goals. Moreover, Trump’s anti-immigration stance and his attacks on America’s law enforcement and judicial system lend legitimacy to European politicians who see advantage in questioning these foundational elements of the EU. Finally, I’ve heard from contacts there that they just don’t know what to believe, given the ease with which Trump bends the facts.
First, are we forgetting European-American divisions over their colonies after World War II, the Suez adventure, the Cod War, Greek-Turkish tensions, European protests over the Vietnam War and the general unrest of 1968 in Europe among college students, European protests (stoked by the Soviets) against American nukes in Europe, all those "Euro"-communists in France and Italy quietly backed by the Soviets, American worry that Europeans didn't take the Soviet threat as seriously as we did, and terror attacks by communists in Italy? Memories of a stable and reliable Europe at America's side in the past are aided by the passage of time that makes difficulties overcome seem like no problems at all.
But let's get to the case against America presented.
Well, despite comments questioning common defense (and one that rightly said common defense doesn't apply if a NATO ally attacks someone else) Trump has also stated he supports Article V common defense provisions. And his cabinet has certainly reinforced America's commitment to NATO. Also, as I've repeated, NATO is a treaty commitment of America and not based on the whims of one president. I think this worry is greatly overblown.
As for the EU, it is a foe. I've droned on about the dangers of the EU as it shifts from a free trade body to a political government for just about as long as I've been blogging. The EU is a rival for NATO and the EU would love to replace NATO as the primary European defense organization--which would leave the United States on the outside. The political EU is not the same as "Europe" as a geographic term, composed of sovereign states. The EU is an anti-democratic proto-imperial body that is prone to being anti-American.
The tariffs are a negotiating tactic to get better terms which were tilted to Europe after World War II. That will be resolved with negotiations. And raising the tariff battle with Turkey as a reason for drift is farcical given how long Europe itself has stiff-armed Turkey for membership in the EU. The EU would be happy if Turkey just stopped asking to join to end the embarrassment of explaining why they don't want to let an increasingly Islamist Turkey into the borderless EU.
If the Europeans are upset with pulling out of the useless Paris accord (and until Trump withdrew even climate change activists said it was wholly inadequate), that's their problem. Given that we reduce carbon emissions without a treaty while they can't seem to do it with a treaty, our withdrawal is probably just an embarrassment that the treaty was an alternative to results as far as Europeans were concerned.
On, Iran, the deal was horrible and never should have been made. It just allowed Europe to pretend the problem of a nuclear-armed Iran was solved. Europe will get over it, I think. Especially as more comes out about what Iran has been doing. America will lead on this and Europe will follow.
Nor do I think the election meddling issue is truly driving us apart. Germany plays serious footsie with Russia to the detriment of NATO even as America puts in place policies to contain Russia, making the Russia election issue--something the Russians and Soviets have long done here and in Europe--a trivial point of friction. Seriously, is the argument that all Europeans are so worried about Russia that the politically charged American 2016 election issue means America isn't taking Russia seriously? Does anybody in Europe remember the 2009 "reset" button and the 2012 offer of "flexibility" to Russia that set the terms of the Obama administration mockery of Romney's claim that Russia posed a threat? Really?
Trump's "anti-immigration" stance is actually an anti-illegal immigration stance. Until recently that was bipartisan common ground here. Europeans might want to deal with their own immigration issues given that America assimilates immigrants far better than Europeans do.
Nor do I see Trump attacking our law enforcement and judiciary. There are some specific issues that deserve criticism and inquiry, and that is the extent of the "attacks." And if that helps Europeans "question" the role of increasingly intrusive cheese regulations that are proving more binding on the EU bloc than Russian terror, tanks, and secret police in holding the Soviet empire together, that's a good thing. Further, this line of attack conveniently ignores that European skepticism of the glories of the political EU long predate Trump, and grew during the age of Obama and his nice pants crease that reassured Europeans so much.
And yeah, I'll grant the fact-bending issue. It is ... annoying. I'd prefer a little more presidential silence, as a rule. Hell, I'd pay good money if he would stop Tweeting. That might at least mute the panic and hand wringing the above article represents.
But when you consider how Europeans bend the facts on the useless Paris accord and the counter-productive Iran deal, I have little sympathy for their stance on the defense of facts. So if the Europeans don't know what to believe, believe our policies and facts on the ground as we recommit our military to European defense.
Look, the rising Russian threat is forcing America and Europe back together. But we have a way to go given the European defense spending issue.
America and Europe grew apart after the Cold War, with Americans increasingly upset that America shouldered more of the Western defense burden, and Europeans increasingly upset that we brought that issue up. As I told my intro American history students long ago (1990-1991), the aftermath of the French and Indian War was instructive. The drifting apart of the American colonies and Britain as Britain wanted America to contribute to common defense but Americans saw no need because of the defeat of the threat on the western border was a lesson for the future. I told them to expect America and Europe to drift apart as Europeans saw no need to worry about defense as the Soviet threat collapsed (I wonder if any of them recalled that as time went by?).
So stop the panic, hand wringing, and self flagellation. America is driving NATO rearmament and reinvigoration. Begun under Obama after 2014, Trump is continuing that policy more energetically.
And remember, Russia is NATO's best recruiter and motivator. American-European ties will be fine.
