The Americans, contrary to expectations, have been unable to pressure the Europeans to bail them out in Iraq, and, although this is partly attributable to the deteriorating security situation, the Economist notes broader differences over trade, China, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
More generally, the unilateral exercise of US power has produced the popular belief in Europe, evidenced in recent elections, that the US is “a dangerous, immoral power that needs countering.”
But the Economist thinks European “prayers” for a Kerry victory in November are misplaced, especially in relation to Israel and US deference to international institutions.
While it is “absurd’ to contemplate a revival of the kind of inter-imperialist tension which culminated in World War I, “the notion that Europeans and Americans may increasingly be rivals rather than partners seems less implausible than it once did”, the article concludes.
Economist (sub only) article available on http://www.supportingfacts.com
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