European Imperialism is alive more now than ever

 

By Steve Otto

Today we see examples of raw imperialism as the leaders of France and other European countries complain that US President Joe Biden has not kept up the expectations of a great imperialist power. For example from AP:

“President Joe Biden’s decision to form a strategic Indo-Pacific alliance with Australia and Britain has angered France and the European Union with a go-it-alone move they see as a return to the Trump era.
The security initiative, unveiled this week, appears to have brought Biden’s summer of love with Europe to an abrupt end. AUKUS, which notably excludes France and the European Union, is just the latest in a series of steps, from Afghanistan to east Asia, that have taken Europe aback. After promising European leaders that “America is back” and that multilateral diplomacy would guide U.S. foreign policy, Biden has alienated numerous allies with a go-it-alone approach on key issues. France’s foreign minister expressed “total incomprehension” at the recent move, which he called a “stab in the back,” and the EU’s foreign policy chief complained that Europe had not been consulted.”

President Joe Biden has had some real crap and trouble from a number of sources, both here and abroad. I rarely defend a US president to this extent but he seems to be bold  enough to do some things that need be done. He is getting a lot of flack for it, that doesn’t he isn’t doing the right thing.

First there is the ending of the Afghanistan war. Imagine if the US had a president with the balls to end the Vietnam war years before the US finally pulled out. Imagine the lives saved. That alone would have made a good policy. George McGovern ran on the promise to end the Vietnam War and he never had a chance. US chauvinism was alive and well and all the red necks in the US went out in droves to elect the nearly fascist Richard Nixon. Many politicians ran on the promise of ending the Afghanistan War. Biden actually kept that promise. Now he gest flack for it. From US News:

 

“President Joe Biden’s decision to form a strategic Indo-Pacific alliance with Australia and Britain has angered France and the European Union with a go-it-alone move they see as a return to the Trump era.
The security initiative, unveiled this week, appears to have brought Biden’s summer of love with Europe to an abrupt end. AUKUS, which notably excludes France and the European Union, is just the latest in a series of steps, from Afghanistan to east Asia, that have taken Europe aback.”


They may not like this, but when Trump pissed these people off, his followers stuck to him like glue. He could do no wrong. Biden’s followers have been way more fickle.

The reality of Europe is that in recent years they have fallen back on their glory days of straight out imperialism. Not since the last part of the late 19 century and the early 20th century have European nations enjoyed the kind of imperialism and arrogance they have had in the past.