Officials say that following Trump’s threat to impose auto tariffs on the EU if they didn’t make moves against Iran under the P5+1 nuclear deal, European diplomats contacted the State Department to lay down a hard line that this was the last time that was going to work.
More specifically, diplomats from Germany, France, and Britain warned that the US tactics are “completely unacceptable,” and that their bullying tactics would not help them marshal support against Iran.
The State Department was surprised by the firmness of the language, and passed it on to the White House. It was noted that the US dialed back pressure on the EU in the days that followed.
President Trump clearly wasn’t happy with not getting his way, and was reported complaining about the Europeans at the Davos economic forum, saying they are worse to do business with than the Chinese.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also complained about the EU nations not being more loudly in favor of the US assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. European officials, however, believed it was an “aimlessly aggressive” move by Trump, and lacked any concrete objective.
Great to see the Europeans stand up to Trump bullying.He is so off base concerning trade tariffs
I wouldn’t get my hopes up regarding the wussy Europeans. They are US vassals.
AT LAST! But the pressure must continue or blackmail will work as it has already. Perhaps the EU without the craven UK will be stronger!!
Yeah yeah yeah “completely unacceptable” and “this is the last time it will work” indeed. For three years they’ve been laying down like the good little doggies they are. Change is impossible under current management, I feel.
Note that the opposition to the killing s not moral but merely tactical.
That is Europe for you. UK has ditched them so it is no longer bound by European weaknesses. UK Is facing a treacherous path ahead. It has some advantages, and some disadvantages. US is expecting UK to fall in its lap — faithful follower. It is not likely to happen, not as anticipated. I expect UK to be more of a broker, using its advantages for its economic advantage. It will have to diversify fast — relying on City financial prowess will no longer do.
Germany and France are facing changes too. France has lost its way economically — and has no discernible goals. Germany will be thorn between the fear of US and its existential economic needs. Its manufacturing is in a symbiotic relationship with Chinese, and its energy as well as a direct link to China go through Russia. The loss of Russian market hit Germany very hard, but it is expanding gradually into some Russian sectors of economy.
The issue is — fear vs. economy. Nothing is clear yet.
Maybe now that lapdog Britain is out of the EU, Europeans will realize that their future lies with the new Belt and Road Initiative linking China, Iran, Russia, and almost 70 nations into one global trading block that will mark the end of US economic bullying and dollar tyranny. It will also mean the end of punitive US sanctions on Iran and the plundering of Middle East oil resources by Trump and his fossil-fuel cronies. It can’t happen soon enough.
EU is not free and still the puppet of the US because they live in fear…!
Just more CYA to excuse their own culpability for the upcoming Iran war. In the end it means nothing because it is the US that will go to war with Iran. When that happens, NATO will join in. Even if it doesn’t, NATO is weak sauce anyway and mostly irrelevant outside of Europe. If they went to war with Russia, they would lose as a dozen Pentagon war games have established.