Bush Is Expected to Express Support for a 'Strong Europe'

[Rose Siding]

BRUSSELS, Feb. 20 - President Bush will declare that America supports a "strong Europe" in a major speech here on Monday aimed at opening a new era in his relations across the Atlantic and at soothing the allies that opposed him on Iraq.

Mr. Bush's words are to make clear that the United States welcomes the drive toward European unity and views the 25-member European Union, with an economy roughly equal to that of the United States, as a partner, not a rival.
...
Senior members of the Bush administration have recently spoken out in favor of a strong Europe. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice heartened Europeans when she said in a speech in Paris on Feb. 8 that "the United States, above all, welcomes the growing unity of Europe." Monday's speech will be the first time the president has supported the idea with such force.

His words are likely to quell dissent from some American conservatives who say that a unified Europe is not necessarily in America's interests because the Continent will see itself as a counterforce to the United States.

http://nytimes.com/2005/02/21/international/europe/21prexy.html?hp&ex=1108962000&en=3ed9b6b516c37257&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Two days earlier...

snip>
But he (Bush) questioned the Chirac-advocated idea of the need for a "multipolar world," diplomatic code language for a united Europe balancing out the United States.

"Some have said, 'Well, we must have a unified Europe to balance America.' Why, when in fact we share values and goals?...Why don't we view this as a moment where we can move forward in a concerted fashion to achieve those goals?"
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=7679736&src=rss/ElectionCoverage

[Fridays Child]

1. Translation: B*sh does not want to see a united Europe, capable of...

...challenging his imperial supremacy.

[aneerkoinos]

2. No, mr. Bush

We don't share values and goals with USA.

A defining European value is respect for life and justice and condemnation of barbarian greed for revenge, condemnation of capital punishment. Our values mean that we abhor your murderous acts as butcher o Texas.

The European Dream is global rule of law, global equality, global responsibility, people living in balance with their enviroment; nation states sharing their sovereignity for the common good, to be able to take care of common problems. Our goal is not global hegemony of a single greedy and barbarous rogue state that imagines it is above the law, we allready tried imperialism and saw what it led to, our goal is the opposite of imperialism.

[Pachamama]

3. For which Europe? The New or the Old Europe?

:eyes:

[cosmicdot]

4. Bu$hitler 'appeases' Old Europe ...

speaking from burned bridge ...

"I don't feel bitter, personally," Mr. Bush told the European newspaper writers on Friday. "And so it's easy to have a conversation with somebody to overcome bitterness if you don't feel bitter."

no shame ... no remorse ... no conscience ... no cattle ...

[Matilda]

5. What he means is Europe united behind the U.S.

"Next time we declare war on one of these puny Middle East countries,
we expect you all to fall into line."

[Voltaire99]

6. Exactly.

Not that anyone will take him seriously.

[bvar22]

7. This is bush* begging the EU not to shut...

..him and the Dollar out of their new economy.

bush* is begging!!!

I can't imagine ANYONE in Europe wanting to be bush*s business partner.