[tambourine-man]

Originally posted by Mazer
...We only asked the UN as a courtesy...

Yes... that's why the US is disliked in Europe.

...European politicians only defy us to curry the favor of their constituents...

True - sort of. You're getting close to the big picture...

I can understand how the world's only superpower needs Europe to be the yin to its yang...

Nice analogy. A little simplistic though... uh oh... I think I know where you're going with this...

...but really that obligates Europe's leaders to do what they think is right rather than what they think is politically advantageous.

Oh dear. You were doing so well up until that point. Your Yin-Yang idea was great... but then you had to spoil it by suggesting that the onus is upon Europe's leaders to 'do what's right' - rather than 'politically advantageous', abdicating US politicians of such onus. This is hypocritical in the extreme, largely as it espouses the idea that attacking Iraq was 'right' and was without political advantages (and motivations), in the first place! Contrary to popular belief, traditional concepts view Yin and Yang not as polar opposites. There is not simply light and dark, good and bad, purity and corruption... Nor are they mutually exclusive within a single country or administration!

For your 'strict' Yin and Yang to exist, there must be simplistic notions of good and bad - on an international political level... and we know who'll be the good guy... and who'll be the baddie, right? THIS is why Bush is unpopular in Europe (if you're interested), because of his administration's two-tone belief system and a willingness to push it onto his populus. It saddens me that an intelligent person such as yourself, Mazer, would speak using the same simplistic concepts as Bush - the only difference being, that you perform the verbal dance with a greater elegance.

Don't make the mistake of assuming it's merely bad/old/insert adjective here-Europe holding you back. Sometimes, a mirror can allow you to see further than a telescope.