Rice Blackmails Europe in Patronizing Tone.

En route to berlin, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice basically warned the Europeans not to criticize US policy if they want US help (at Andrews Air Force Base before boarding a jet for Europe) .

“It is up to those governments and their citizens to decide if they wish to work with us,” she said, “and decide how much sensitive information they can make public.

She also added that Europeans should not complain too loudly about undercover intelligence actions that had helped "save European lives.".

So what does that mean? That the US is willing to stand alone in fighting terrorism? That it does not need European help? Or that it is willing to endanger European lives if Europe does not keep quiet? What kind of "diplomacy" is that ?

Clearly this current US administration has not been humbled by its numerous previous mistakes and misjudgements in the last few months and years and continues its patronizing tone. It has not played very well in the world and surely won’t play very well in Europe. If European public opinion turns even more against the Bush administration, the US will really be alone. Money and might cannot buy everything!