Back Home (But Still Note Safe)

Posted By MJ

What a difference 4 days in Europe makes. For the most part, President Bush’s trip to Europe proved successful- at least in the public’s eye. Finally it appears that the Bush administration has learned just because it is the most powerful force on the planet, it cannot bully around Allies into walking the very peculiar party line that is the Neocon manifesto. Bush’s humbleness and overtly positive gestures towards Europe were a very welcoming change from his “Old Europe/New Europe, with us or against us,” mantra of just a few months ago.

It is still a little early to tell what exactly will come from Bush’s trip. The effort by Bush, however, must be applauded and must be recorded as one of the first times since WWII that an American president has had so much to lose in regards to Europe. One observation that was immediately visible from the jaunt, is that Bush is no longer despised in Europe but now simply only hated. Believe it or not, that is an improvement from the former.

The main item of quarrel between Europe and its immigrated cousin is Iraq. Aside from Great Britain, the European stance on Iraq was not in the least bit plausible or legitimate. The two giant vocal powers of Europe, France and Germany, and the one lone former super power, which America protected France and Germany from for over 45 years, and the same one that France and Germany refuse to acknowledge is even a European member, Russia, volleyed that the war in Iraq was illegal because it lacked an 18th UN Resolution instead of the 17 that already existed. Yeah, I know, it’s a mess. Nonetheless, Iraq is the issue at hand.

Since returning home from Europe, one would think that President Bush has just won another election of sorts. It’s as if he has some more political capital to spend, another mandate by the people. While in Europe, Bush garnered up about 200 more troops, spread out across 9 countries, for Iraq; told Putin to shape up, but in a nice way; and told the state controlled Russian media that his country is also a transparent country just like Russia. All should be well. And still Iraq burns.

The 2005 Bush voyage to Europe is a definite milestone for both sides. However, now that Bush is back in the states, instead of pushing for Social Security phase out, he should be focusing on making Iraq safe. There is no other issue more important to American security right now than making Iraq secure. This won’t be accomplished by imposing elections. This won’t be accomplished by courting shaky Europeans. And this definitely won’t be accomplished by ignoring the grave situation in Iraq.

Today in Iraq is just another paradigm- over 125 murdered. It will not get better until Bush decides it’s time to face the real reasons why Iraq is in a mess. No election in the world will stop what is happening in Iraq. And no trip to a slumbering Europe will garner enough support to make Iraq better. I will never understand the decisions that led to Iraq being in this condition. What would have been wrong with securing Iraq first?