For years they have depended on the military muscle of the United States to keep them free and to take the lead in cleaning up various post-colonial and post-Cold War messes, all the while criticizing America
...
Certainly there's no historical basis for the European assumption that they have the moral credentials for schooling America on its foreign policy sins. After all, America never had a colonial empire and has shed a fraction of the Third-World blood spilled by Europeans.
...
we should look to the future rather than to the past. Strengthening Mexico's democracy and economy, for example, serves our interests much more than does soothing the fragile self-esteem of European politicians. The Europeans have created a common currency; let them create and finance a common defensive alliance for which they foot the bill.