Ah, DF, Europe doesn't much like Mr. Bush because it still longs for her American patsy president, Legacy Bill.
Mr. Bush has maintained a superhuman remove from his critics among the Hollywood-European-Leftie peace mob. He has neither stooped to correct nor bothered remarking their failed predictions of failure, predictions of failure gleefully predicted.
The left was horrified by Mr. Bush's rescission of the ABM treaty! What will Russia do? Well, Russia, who seems to get a pass on venting nuclear pique, says, "Yeah, this treaty doesn't make any sense." Notice that after Mr. Bush showed he wouldn't be bullied into that mish-mash of psuedo-science, the Kyoto Treaty, Russia piped up, "Yeah, this treaty doesn't make any sense." The left isn't pushing Kyoto these days.
The left delighted in predicting bodybags, quagmires, and a glorious resistance by the Elite Republican Guard®, even as they bleated, "Peace, peace." A little over a month later, they have to abandon their romancing of the Arab Big Man of History and their other gleeful predictions.
The Left was horrified that Mr. Bush disowned the Nobel Peace prizer and career terrorist, M. Arafat! What will the volatile Arab street do? Well, the Arab street became depressed and occupies itself moping about the emptiness of Arab glory.
The left delights in blandly characterizing Mr. Bush as stupid. Yet Mr. Bush keeps racking up policy and legislative successes. Whereas, by way of contrast, the dashing philosopher and sometimes diplomat, M. de Villepin, travels the globe with his thumb stuck up his fanny.
So I join you in saluting Mr. Bush, an American president who is not pursuing a legacy but quietly building one.
Regards,
DGB