Survey finds Europe wary of Russia

Even before Moscow sent its military into Georgia last month, European concerns over Russia and support for NATO, the U.S.-led military alliance, were rising, according to an annual survey of trans-Atlantic attitudes released Wednesday.
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The U.S. and Europe have “an opportunity to re-create a trans-Atlantic consensus on the issue that initially brought us together 60 years ago, which was Russia,” Mr. Asmus said in an interview.

Okay, that sounds reasonable. Any thoughtful person should be a bit concerned by the situation.

During the Cold War, the EU lacked a mandate even to discuss foreign or security policy

This is an example of revisionist history. There was no EU during the Cold War. There was Europe, but Russia is part of Europe. Goofy.

If that isn’t weird enough, how about this?

the election of a new U.S. president in November who is sure to be more popular than George W. Bush

Are they assuming that any new president will be more popular than GWB?

The Europeans really like Obama.

Like previous surveys, the poll found Europeans prefer the prospect of Barack Obama to John McCain as U.S. president by 69%-26% among all 12 European nations surveyed.

With Sen. Obama in power, 47% of Europeans said they thought relations with the U.S. would improve