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Larres asserted that the United States and Europe still had stronger shared
values and interests than any other international partnership. The Obama
administration had taken many positive steps for the transatlantic alliance,
helping to move past the rifts it had experienced under George W. Bush.
Obama had repudiated the aggressive unilateral policy of the Bush
administration and embraced a cooperative, multilateral strategy, of which
cooperation with Europe was a critical part. Obama shares many of Europe's
views on international affairs, such as the importance of "soft power," and
not seeing it as a zero-sum game.
There had been some problems, though. Popular admiration and support of
Obama is strong in Western Europe, but not so much in Eastern and Central
Europe, where governments were angered by his decision to scrap plans for
missile defense facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic. The
administration also seemed to be puzzled by the complex and evolving
leadership structure of the European Union, and not really sure who is in
charge. The president's decision not to attend a US-EU summit in Madrid in
May caused consternation, especially from Spain. There had been missteps
by European countries as well; even while they welcomed many of Obama's
initiatives, their material responses had been weak. While they urge the
closure of Guantanamo Bay, they have not been willing to accept any of the
prisoners. Their economic stimulus efforts were less than Obama would have
wanted, and they were deeply reluctant to send more troops to Afghanistan.