Or to put it another way, they’re willing to oppress Iraqis to spite Uncle Sam.Columnist Robert Samuelson points out a fascinating polling discrepancy. The Pew Global Attitudes Project polled people in various countries earlier this month on the war against Saddam. Huge majorities opposed it: 87% in France, 85% in Germany, 83% in Russia, 79% in Spain, and 76% in Italy. But at the same time, Pew asked if “the people of Iraq will be better or worse off in the long run” if Saddam is deposed. Again huge margins: 73% said yes in France, 71% in Germany, and 61% in Italy. In other words, Europeans are perfectly happy to consign an entire people to misery and oppression rather than support a war to liberate them. And they claim to be supporting the people of Iraq. The awful historical record will be that most Europeans knowingly put their fear of American power before their hatred of Saddam. Damning. [Andrew Sullivan, New York Sun, 3/28/03]
