Madam, - Denis Staunton reports that some members of the EU élite are surreptitiously hoping for a George W. Bush victory in the US election on November 2nd (World News, October 19th). Such a result, clearly unwelcome to the vast majority of European citizens, would also be bad for future strategic EU-US interests in both the economic and political spheres.
Mr Staunton says European integrationists fear that a Kerry presidency would superficially heal the transatlantic rift without addressing the underlying tension between the US and the EU. However, with Kerry's commitment to multilateralism and significant foreign policy experience at various levels, it is rather simplistic to believe that four more years of Bush's neo-conservative foreign policies of pre-emption and pre-eminence would be preferable. Also, it is a bit hopeful to suggest that a second Bush administration would force such a wedge between Washington and London that Tony Blair would suddenly recant and turn once again to a renewed Eurocentric perspective.
The Bush foreign policy perspective has strained relationships not only at transatlantic diplomatic level, but also within the EU itself as never before in recent political history. With such crucial foreign and economic policy issues as the Middle East peace process, the Doha Development round of talks, the continuing fall-out of the Iraqi conflict and the potential for confrontation over Iran in the offing, can the EU-US dynamic, and prospects for increased foreign policy cohesion within the EU, afford another occasion for crisis? The Bush foreign policy doctrine would inevitably be more likely to precipitate such a crisis.
The EU-US relationship can only benefit from a real and substantive dialogue on their respective foreign and security strategies. With the recent appointment of John Bruton to head the European Commission's Washington office, and the strengthening of Javier Solana's role as the EU's "Foreign Minister", at least the Europeans are making moves to mend bridges and provide the infrastructure for greater dialogue and understanding. Would a second Bush administration reciprocate or simply make bland verbal commitments - as in the aftermath of 9/11, when he apparently saw "a new opportunity to work together?" The subsequent evidence suggests not.
It is true that Kerry would not jettison all his predecessor's positions right away, but it is facile to believe that a Democrat administration would proceed with such dogmatic and divisive diplomacy as has been evident since the election of George Bush. It is not in Europe's interest to see the current US president re-elected in the hope of souring the EU-US relationship to such an extent that Tony Blair "sees the light", or that internal foreign policy divisions within the EU are miraculously healed by external factors. Rather, it is in all our interests to return to a state of real dialogue and political diplomacy.
In this respect may I wish John Bruton every success - and John Kerry too. - Yours, etc.,
GERARD ARTHURS, Lecturer in European Union Studies, Waterford Institute of Technology.