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Time for Solidarity With Europe
By Joe Lieberman
Last week's bombings in Madrid mark a critical turning point in our war against terrorism -- a crossroads as important as Sept. 11, 2001. When historians look back on March 11, 2004, will they see it as the time after which Europe and the United States locked arms against a common foe and went on to achieve greater security on both sides of the Atlantic? Or will they see it as the day al Qaeda drove a wedge between Europe and America and some Europeans decided that they could achieve an accommodation with fanatical Islamic terrorists? In other words, will Madrid be remembered as Pearl Harbor or as Munich?
For now the response of too many Spanish voters looks more like Munich. By electing a new government, the people of Spain implied that they not only reject U.S. policies in Iraq but also the need to join us in the war against terrorism. A recent Pew Research Center poll shows that similar opinions are shared in much of Europe. Majorities in France and Germany hold unfavorable views toward the United States and doubt our sincerity in the global war on terrorism.
| A fair number in those "majorities" don't question our sincerity, they oppose our efforts to fight terrorism. They aren't anti-war, they're on the other side. |
I understand the Europeans' unease over American power and their anger at the one-sided ways the Bush administration has exercised that power. For example, when the Europeans invoked Article V of the NATO charter after Sept. 11 and pledged to send their troops to fight alongside ours in Afghanistan, the Bush administration rejected the offer and chose to go it alone. That was a mistake, and it sent an offensive and divisive message to our European allies.
| We went alone because the Europeans wanted to dictate when and how we'd attack in Afghanistan, which worked out to be "never" and "timidly." |
But such decisions cannot be allowed to blind the Europeans to the interest they share with us in confronting the jihadists. In our domestic politics, it is critical that Republicans and Democrats not let the quest for partisan victory this November prevent us from working together now to achieve a national victory over the terrorist insurgency in Iraq. In the same way, it is important that our European allies not allow their opposition to many of the Bush administration's foreign policies to separate them from America in defeating Islamic terrorists.
Lost in the growing transatlantic divide is an understanding that the same solidarity that enabled us to defeat communism is urgently needed to defeat terrorism. Last week's attacks show that al Qaeda does not distinguish between Americans and Europeans -- and anyone in Europe who thinks a separate peace can be made with the terrorists has not heard or read the warnings of Osama bin Laden. We are all their enemies, because we share the same values of freedom and democracy that brought us together as an alliance.
In the wake of the Madrid bombings, our leaders and Europe's must work to repair the breach. President Bush should seize the opportunity to turn this tragedy into solidarity by personally reaching out to the people of Spain, honoring their dead, and speaking to our common values and cause. The United States should also request that NATO's North Atlantic Council convene to forge a united strategy for combating terrorism and to invoke Article V of the alliance's charter -- to let the terrorists know that we regard this attack against Spain as an attack against us all. Bush might personally attend this meeting, which would be held in Brussels, to show our willingness not only to lead but also to listen. In response, Europe should take our outstretched hand and commit to working through NATO, not outside it.
| Invoking Article V is a terrible idea. We'd spend months nattering away at a conference in Brussels and end up with the French tied around our necks. And the Belgians around our ankles. If Spain wants to respond to terrorism, we're ready to help -- but Zapateros doesn't see the need to "respond", he sees a need to "withdraw". And therein lies the problem. |
Then, through our renewed alliance, nations, such as Spain, that sent troops to Iraq and those, such as France, that did not, might all see that the terrorist insurgents we are fighting in Iraq today come from the same fanatical movement as those who struck Madrid. Together we should ask the United Nations to pass another resolution paving the way for NATO to join the critical battle against terrorism in Iraq. If Europe is given a formal role in Iraq through the alliance, and not just a voluntary one through a coalition of the willing, the unilateral withdrawal of troops by any nation is highly unlikely.
| Getting NATO into Iraq won't help -- the French and Germans wouldn't commit anyway, and Zapie wants the UN to be in charge of the whole schmeer. And in a year's time, the Iraqis will be running their own show with a defense pact with the US. What's for NATO to do then? |
At the height of the Cold War, President John F. Kennedy made clear that America stood with Europe in the fight against communism by asserting that he was one with the people of Berlin. After the Sept. 11 attacks, Europe echoed this sentiment, with a French newspaper proclaiming, "We Are All American." It is time for Americans and Europeans to reaffirm our solidarity by declaring "Somos todos Madrileños" -- we are all citizens of Madrid -- and go forward together to win the war against terrorism.
| The Euros were "all Americans" until we picked ourselves off the ground, dusted ourselves off and said, simply, "mister, you got my attention, and you ain't going to like it much." I hope the people of Madrid actually want to do something about terrorism, but after the demonstrations and the election I have my doubts. But we'll be around to help if/when they figure it out; we're kind of good that way. |
Posted by: Steve White 2004-03-19 |
