Interesting post. I lived for six months this summer in Europe and have spent a total of four years over there and let me tell you Bush is really considered a cancer on the global scene. I think there are many reasons for it, so I'm going to list them in no particular order: 1) Bush's willingness to take unilateral action only highlights the EU's impotence. 2) Bush is viewed as a stupid cowboy, courageous perhaps but certainly unable to grasp the big picture. 3) Bush is seen as illegitimate in that his election is widely held to have been a fraud because of two reasons; one he didn't carry the popular vote. To Europeans this makes no sense, no many how many times you attempt to explain the electoral college. Two, the recount in Florida is scene by ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of Europeans as having been rigged by his brother and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. That there is any other explanation for the fiasco here in Florida is seen as proof positive that Americans are completely brain-washed by the media. They would have more respect for you if you told them that you can remember your past lives as a Roman Senator than if you tell them the Al Gore and the Democrats were the one trying to pull a fast one in Florida. 4) Bush is from Texas and obviously has oil company ties. This is the ultimate motivation for the war in Iraq, so that he can enrich himself and his friends. The other business about democracy, WMD, Al Qaeda, etc. is seen as pure propaganda foisted upon an incredibly gullible American public. 5) Bush believes in God and says so. Europeans don't. For europeans the Catholic Church for example is often seen as on of the greatest "robber barons" of all time. The idea that sophisticated people still believe in God and Jesus seems like brain-washing to them. Those are the main points but Europeans in general have a very false impression/understanding of America and Americans in general. Just one quick example: a girl was laughing (somewhat condescendingly) that Americans often don't get a passport until later in life. Most europeans will get one at a very young age. She thought that this meant Americans all stay in there home town, don't know anything outside their immediate experience, etc. When I pointed out that in Europe often if you drive three or four hours you will need to take a passport with you and if you live in Orlando (for example) if you drive in the panhandle you can drive five or six hours and still be in the state of Florida. You could drive for days and not need a passport in the U.S. so I think a lot of things are basic misunderstandings about their life compared with ours. In any case I don't envy the Europeans. They seem very cynical and world weary. I guess two world wars in the last century will do that to you.
I don't know if #1 is accurate. The Europeans don't hate Clinton, even though he took action in the Balkans when they didn't want to go along (the reason being Muslims were taking the brunt of the ethnic wars and the "enlightened" Europeans were more than happy to have a rogue take care of the Muslim "problem".) 2-4 I agree with. 5 might be true to an extent, but I'm very religious and I don't like Bush, and one reason is that he makes such a point of his faith. As far as that goes he just strikes me as somneone who "shouts from the rooftops" so to speak. I don't like politicians invoking God because I see using Him for political gain as blasphemy.
Maybe I have a simplistic view of this, but I believe that the main reason that Europeans hate Mr. Bush, is because he has taken steps to strengthen this country. Now that the Cold War is over, and Europe no longer needs our protection (the main reason they couldn't admit they hated Ronald Reagan, the last truly strong President this country had before Mr. Bush), they want to see a weaker America...for lack of a better term, they view it as a leveling of the global playing field. This is why they embraced Mr. Bush's predecessor, a man who in his 8 years, never missed an opportunity to weaken this country. Everybody loves a pushover, but nobody respects one. Mr. Bush has taken steps to make sure that this country is no longer a pushover...and Europe is lashing out at him for it.
I think Reagan was a LOT stronger than either Bush. Bush won't stand up to the Saudis and won't stand up to the Chicoms. As far as "leveling the playing field", that's exactly why they're lowering international barriers. A united Europe would have a larger population and (thanks to freeloading off us for their national security for half a century) a stronger economy.
