Show I I I IU Bush U Administration ra Ion IonI Iona Clashes a e WI with I Europe uro e Oyer ver World or Politics 0 I I Sebastian Mallaby MaHaby The Washington Post The Bush charm offensive offensive offensive offen offen- sive in Europe has limits and so in fact should it it The Europeans are wrong to want to sell weapons to China wrong not to come forward with more help for Iraq's transition and wrong this goes especially especially especially espe espe- for France to resist tougher action on Sudan's genocide in Darfur We dont don't want a president who makes nice with Europe on these issues We want a president president president dent who can sway European attitudes But theres there's a second basket of subjects where the opposite point holds where the administration gratuitously alienates Europe out of ideological inflexibility or shortsighted shortsighted short- short sighted indifference x U Unless ril s Ir r t b cR Europeans on the things that they are right about the United States can forget forget forget for for- get European support on its priority issues Consider climate change for example The Europeans care passionately passionately passionately passion passion- about this issue and they happen to be correct The globe really is warming warming warming warm warm- ing human activity really is behind this even the Bush administration concedes concedes concedes con con- cedes as much So why wont won't the respond to European calls for action The current fight over the International Criminal Court and Darfur fits into the same mold The United States has always said that international international international inter inter- national tribunals are fine if they are politically accountable meaning that the United Nations Security Council should have to authorize prose prose- cution Well Europe now wants the Security Council to authorize prosecution of war crimes committed in Darfur But the say no Then theres there's the up bust-up about foreign aid and Africa Tony Blair the British prime minister wants to use his country's chairmanship of the Group of Seven to rollout roll rollout rollout out big new promises on debt relief and development develop develop- ment assistance this year ll He nd 1 his finance i t 1 n r A m nn mis 1 T 1 C LL a U u. u ter are so eager for th this s' s that they compete against each other for for the pro pro- ii g t t 1 way of wooing an elect elec electorate l c- c that's gone sour on the Iraq war So what's the Bush reaction Again a blunt no no Its It's worth considering this aid fight because it shows the subtle difference difference difference differ differ- ence between an administration administration administration adminis adminis- that understands diplomacy and one that founders The Bush people people people peo peo- argue with some reason reason reason rea rea- son that the British proposals proposals proposals pro pro- are awkward for example an idea to commit commit commit com com- mit rich governments to See Bush continued on page 9 Bush cont from page 5 future aid payments would be hard to jam through the congressional appropriations proc process ss The Bush folk add that they've warned the British repeatedly of their objections objections objections and that the schism that emerged merged publicly two weeks ago reflects Britain's obdurate refusal to listen We We said no at dinner we said no on the car ride home we said noon no noon noon on the front porch and he still said come to bed according to the helpful metaphor of one administration administration administration adminis adminis- official But successful diplomacy diploma diploma- cy is about more than saying saying say say- ing no If the administration tion cant can't agree to a British proposal it ought to come up with an alternative alternative alter alter- alternative native that makes sense to its ally and be sure to share the credit for it too It should show more energy energy energy ener ener- gy and more imagination It should pitch development develop develop- ment ideas that can fly on both sides of the Atlantic transforming a petty fight over aid financing mechanisms mechanisms mechanisms mecha mecha- into a united front fronton on the issue The Bush administration tion for example should embrace an idea to spur vaccine development for poor countries that's popular popular popular pop pop- ular inside the British government The notion is that rich countries would sign a contract promising to purchase pur pur- chase vaccines f for r AIDS or malaria if they ar are e invented that would provide provide provide pro pro- vide an incentive fo for r pharmaceutical giants t to put research dollars to t o This approach protects intellectual property leverages the resources of the mainly U.S.-based U.S. private sector minimizes government meddling and costs nothing unless a vaccine is actually devel devel- In sum it fits the B Bush sh world view perfectly So why not applaud the Brits for their excellent leadership leadership leader leader- leadership ship and get behind the idea The Bush administration tion should also celebrate a plan for accelerated school enrollment that's dear not only to the British but also to the Canadians and the Dutch The idea is that rich countries countries countries coun coun- tries promise to finance convincing proposals to enlarge primary school enrollment giving poor countries an incentive to come up with robust pro pro- grams Again the concept fits the Bush administration tion Money rewards good policy an and the education focus should appeal to the styled self-styled education president Moreover US U.S. allies have already set up an administrative apparatus apparatus for vetting proposals and 12 countries are due to receive a modest million in 2005 All this idea needs is a fresh injection of money from the United States which would leverage donations from other governments Its It's good diplomacy and good policy So where is Team Bush Nurturing the European alli alliance nce requires more than presidential trips to Europe It takes the creativity creativity creativity cre cre- and determination to get beyond no |