THE US-EU DISTANCE

50 years ago the United States was the rage in Europe.  Le defi americain and Le fou d'Amerique ruled the best-seller list. After the fall of the Berlin wall, some thought that history had reached its end point and that there was no alternative for the American model, which was both desirable and unavoidable. This pensee unique started to be weakened under Presidents Reagan and Bush I, prolonged under President Clinton, on life support under President Bush II, given a new lifespan under President Obama,  and is now in the Emergency room with "president" Trump.

Confronted with the vulgar, dumb histrionics of this administration, Europeans find it impossible to look up, respect or trust the US, the former indispensable ally. While common defense and security are still given a reluctant chance of survival, all political, diplomatic, moral and cultural issues are becoming issues of self-preservation, wherein Western Europeans feel obliged to follow their own path.  Eastern Europeans remain closer (for now) to the noise which comes out of this White House. America is not in decline however. The other emerging power centers do not diminish its role but, under the current political circumstances, they contribute to expose the rogue nature of its current almost Mafioso US leadership. Hence, the Unite States pay the price for their own misguided choice.

Enough has been said and written about the paranoid nature of the US president. It is surprising that given Trump's past business, personal and other dealings he was still considered for the presidency. He appeals to the frustrations of a base who considers him like some Robin Hood and remains indifferent to his many transgressions. Europeans for their part have come to the conclusion that this persona is unfit to lead, to be trusted or respected.

Europeans should beware of becoming anti-American. They should keep their distance on most matters pertaining to trade, environment, human rights, even geopolitics whenever the US chooses to follow some crooked nationalistic Bannon-type path. The unwillingness to consider others as stakeholders in a changing political order is myopic. By contrast, Europe is not a crusader, neither is it the defender of a Judeo-Christian supremacy. Western Europe stands for a secular, inclusive message and does not share the fundamental pessimism of the current US administration, which is setting the clock back to a form of "continental blockade". Palmerston said that countries have no permanent friends, only permanent interests. There was a time when Europe and the United States saw eye to eye on this premise, for now this is a thing of the past. Interests do no longer coalesce. Friendship has became a cold medium.

Elections have consequences. They have to be handled with the uttermost care, otherwise one gets stuck with historical disasters, type Brexit or Trump. The UK has to deal with the consequences, like the Americans alone have to manage their choice for the absurd. At a time when the EU is doing better, there is no need to let the American chaos halt the European improvement. The Russian chess player, the Chinese first power-in-waiting and the American mad hatter have their hands full. This leaves plenty of space for the Merkel/Macron team to come up with a new charter for Europe. America can wait. This is not a divorce, but a separation. Fareed Zakaria wrote about the post-American world. He was right describing the melting ice which leaves former partners more on their own. He was too trusting in suggesting that this drift could be managed. True, there was no Trump then.