Very high, maybe, but also very temporary.
No, the levels stayed high for some time. The criticisms of the US campaign were not indicative of a decline in the levels.
But that's a bit beside the point. There is, of course, some sort of something many folk love to call "Anti-Americanism" in Europe. Of debatable demographic size. It's the resonance, however, those folk have in the wider population that's the issue. In the months after 9-11 that voice got little traction. It now gets a great deal. And the reason for that increase is a growing opposition to the Bush administration, not growing anti-Americanism.
Trying to turn opposition to the Bush administration policies into anti-Americanism is a fairly familiar tactic by now. The Sharon government considers serious criticism of its policies to be anti-Israeli and trots out the anti-Semite flag.
This has ever been a tactic of certain elements on the right. Wrap yourself in the flag, then complain no end that criticisms of your policies/positions are criticisms of the whole people.
As for your last point that it would have been the same with any other administration, we can, of course, not know the answer. But I seriously doubt that. The Gore folk had neither the long history of pre-emptive doctrinal statements--at least back to the infamous Cheney-Wolfowitz-whomsoever paper in 92, nor disdain for international partnerships. |
