The View From Europe
Mirror, Michael Rile America's Media
By Nicola Mitchell

July 30, 2002 - LONDON (APJP) -- Okay. I'm confused.

I just can't seem to keep track.

One minute it looks as though Britain and America are best of buds, with Tony Blair being praised by the White House and much of the US press.

But then, after a few choice articles in a UK tabloid and a comic music video by George Michael, as far as some quarters of the US is concerned, Britain is public enemy number one.

I first began to notice the changing tide of US opinion towards good old Blightly after John Pilger produced a number of pieces for the UK tabloid, the Daily Mirror, that were far from flattering towards America.

In its attempts at "serious" journalism, the Mirror employed Pilger to critique the Bush administrations actions since September 11th. Like his American counterpart Noam Chomsky, his articles always cause a stir, but his front-page piece, which called for us all to "Mourn on the Fourth of July" while declaring America to be "the world's leading rouge state" thanks to Bush's "bomb first, thinks later policy," appears to have pushed some US editors over the edge.

Sure -- these were harsh words, but hey, the man is entitled to his air his opinion, or at least the first amendment says he should.

But apparently this right doesn't apply the UK press.

The Washington Times branded the Mirror "a shrill tabloid read by London's soccer hooligans and other mutants", while the New York Post deemed it "a terrorist Loving London tabloid."

Such outbursts may have been the musings of the far right or the Murdoch controlled press, but the UK bashing hasn't stopped there because then there's the small matter of that George Michael video.

Now, I've watched the video, and from what I saw, Tony Blair comes off far worse that George Junior. The cartoon capers show Blair as a loyal pet for Bush, desperate to please him at all times. What's more, at the end of the video, Michael even seduces a cartoon Cherie Blair while Tony is off trying to join Britain and America as one. Now, in some of the press I've seen, the video has been blasted for its anti-US sentiment, but the main criticism of Bush is that of his intelligence, or lack thereof. How can this be seen as an anti-American when half of the US press spent the entire 2000 election debating this very subject?

But apart from dissecting the UK's pop stars and tabloids, the American press have also been busy scrutinising the whole of Europe's attitude towards the Iraq situation.

As the administration talks up its big plans for 'regime change' the New York Times has reported that Europe has "gone wobbly" on the subject, and that even Bush's bosom buddy Blair is attempting to distance himself from the issue. (A more cynical person than myself might point out that tough talk on Iraq has dramatically increased since countless financial scandals threatened to engulf the White House)

From a European perspective, we're just a little concerned that the Bush administration is getting carried away with itself. The main priority for many Europeans is to broker some sort of agreement between Israel and Palestine before any decision on Iraq is made.

What's more, we want to know what exactly it is we'll be fighting for. We know Saddam's no Nobel prize winner, but no matter what Bush may think, it's not good enough for him to say 'let's take 'em out;' we want to know why, and maybe the release of this infamous dossier on Saddam Hussein's crimes by Downing Street would be a good place to start.

I think many Europeans would prefer to see the weapons inspectors enter Iraq before any military action begins. America would say Saddam Hussein will never allow this, they're probably right, but what choice are they giving him when all the hawkish elements of the administration do is bang on about an invasion. Why should he succumb if the outcome is already inevitable?

But for all the criticism Europe has received at the hands of the US media, the UK may have just redeemed itself this week with reports that Tony Blair has privately told Bush he will support an attack on Iraq, if Saddam refuses to allow weapons inspectors back into the country. But although this action may win the UK favour in the eyes of the US, it is hardly likely to win us any brownie points within the rest of Europe, so maybe George Michael should focus his next video effort around them!