[Dr. Solar Wolff]

You guys are discussing two issues.

1. Race in America: Americans know what they mean by "White". To Europeans, this sounds silly. As far as Europe is concerned, why is this an issue?

2. American involvement and influence in Europe. This is a HUGE ISSUE!!! And it is a huge issue for you as well as for me. Europeans say Americans have a "mentality". They seem to fix themselves on American bad manners, lack of linguistic skills, ethnocentricism, and poor education. OK, you have a point, but I think the real issue is the influence and pressue being exerted on European governments and economy by American government/finance. Of course Europe is not alone as a target but my best chance (being completely selfish) of halting a wrong American foreign policy is with Europe.

Look what has happened regarding the war in Iraq. Europe stood up and said NO. Even countries which were pressured into participation in that war had popular opinion against it. Now, even Americans say it was a waste of time at over 50%. Eventually, this external/internal pressure will turn the tide but this "tide" should have been turned 10 years ago when the USA entered the Balkans. Do any of you think Bill Clinton or any American for that matter understood or could understand the Balkan conflict and/or the history of the Balkans from the perspective of the people involved? This is equally true for Iraq. So, America is not in Iraq for Iraq and if America is enforcing its will beyond its borders, other countries should be asking hard questions as to why.