MR. OBAMA GOES TO EUROPE

Mr. Barack Obama heads to old continent amid fanfare and high expectations. Europeans love the charismatic American President for reasons many reasons. First his liberal internationalist agenda meets European expectations. On issues like global warming, Iran, Guantanamo Bay, Free Trade, Human Rights, Mr. Obama's positions is in line with that of Europe and the world community. Most Europeans believe that the threat of global warming is real and must be confronted. However, most American conservatives think otherwise ridicules the global warming threat, and are vehemently opposed to any treaty that inhibits business. On Guantanamo Bay, Europeans are irked about reports of widespread abuses of detainees that violate the Geneva Accord rules on treatment of prisoners of war. Obama shares the European and international view, but American conservatives view that going soft on terrorists. On foreign policy, Europeans tout Obama's willingness talk to Iran and other outlaw regimes like North Korea and Cuba. All these make Obama the darling of Europeans and his personal charismatic easily make him the most popular Western leader in the world right now.

So it is odd that with these huge advantages, Mr. Obama goes to European with trepidation and uneasiness. The Europeans have sent a clear signal that the American president is in for a sharp rebuke. Why? The Europeans hold a different view to solving some of the most recent and urgent crisis.

On Afghanistan, the American President is eager to seek more European help to contain the resurgence of the Taliban. However amidst a huge internal problems and strong opposition to the manner in which George Bush went to Iraq, many Europeans are strong opposed to giving the U.S. any assistance on these two wars front. Many European nations are already pulling out their troops from Iraq and scaling back their support for the war in Afghanistan. And facing a huge discontent at home, European leaders are unwilling to risk the ire of their citizens by pledging any support for the war in Afghanistan.

Another rebuke that Mr. Obama is likely to face is on the issue business and finance. Many European leaders see the stimulus package as protectionist and counterproductive. They think that a lot of the stimulus package that assists U.S. businesses amount to protectionism and besides it is bad economics that will only lead to inflation.

So the European leaders are likely to resist Obama's request for more money and soldiers for Afghanistan. Moreover, countries like Germany will resist any effort to back up Obama's overtures to Iran to threat of more sanctions, should Iran stray.

In effect the man Europeans literally venerated and hoped to see as president will be spurned and rebuked on this trip to the old land.