Re: Race of the Vassals

In a message dated 1/30/2003 4:22:25 PM Eastern Standard Time, boles@svsu.edu 
writes:

> This latest NYT article explains, in the words of Elmar Brok of
> Germany's Christian Democrats, that "The race of the 
> vassals has begun."

I was quite amused by this phrase.  The only historically resonant phrase the 
US president can use is 'Wanted: Dead or Alive" but, obviously, Europeans have 
more to work with.  Clearly the pledge of eight is a setback for the concept of 
a united Europe.  But how does Europe presently break down?

France, going back to DeGaulle, has always been unhappy about US hegemony, so I 
don't think its seen as that big a deal that its grumbling.

Britain has sought to retain geopolitical importance by acting as a bridge 
between the US and the continent--lately, in practice, this has meant acting 
like the 51st state (even Canada has more guts).  This may result in a major 
crisis for the Labor party.

Spain and Italy are ruled by right-wingers apparently seeking to strengthen 
their credibility with the US president.  Both, however, are likely to suffer 
some domestic fallout for their fealty (Italian polls show that roughly 75% of 
the nation is against a war...As Berlusconi reportedly told the Stampa daily 
newspaper: "It would have been better if our American friends had not drawn us 
into this dance."  (from the Guardian)) .  They face energetic, large social 
movements who see the issue of US power as indivisible from all other issues of 
global justice.

Hungary, Poland, Portugal and  the Czech Republic are all small enough to be 
subjected to diplomatic arm twisting.

Denmark, I don't get.

That finally leaves Germany, which has historically been the lynchpin of US 
hegemony on the continent.  So long as Germany doesn't cave, the US has a 
serious problem--an economically powerful pole to rally around as qualms deepen.

Steven Sherman