Because we came out of Europe, they've always tended to assume we're just another European country. Cruder, of course, and desperately in need of Europe's advice and assistance, but a European country. Now perhaps they're beginning to learn that we have very little in common with Europe. One European official observes that "For you, [the war on terror is] not symbolic, it's a real term. From that moment, you decided it's your problem and you have to solve it and the rest of the world can either help, or, if not, to hell with them."