European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 24, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 columns the stars and stripes wednesday. June 24,1987 William Buckley Europe s anti americanism stems from malaise for a while one could dismiss a merely episodic Ami american ism he reports of Public sentiment in Europe on the role of the United states As Leader of the free world Alliance. We remain the preponderant Power even with the melancholy indices on our balance of Trade and our budget deficit. But the polls appear la have stabilized and we need to face and to understand what we would prefer to think of As Mcrevy spastic outbursts of dissatisfaction. We learn now thai scepticism about . Leadership is endemic raging in great Britain Germany France and Italy. The figures Tell us starkly that three limes As Many european feel that Mikhail Gorba Chev is to be looted Ai As die likelier launcher of peace initiatives than Reagan. How much of this is due to Gorbachev s relative Junior status As Leader of the in free world Over against Reagan s seven year tenure As Leader of the free world an unexamined aspect of the perverse conundrum Lias to do with the High Hopes everywhere nurtured by Gorba Chev s relative heterodoxy. Here is the Leader of organized militant misery who addresses his own countrymen on he need for change who Speaks of strategic advances toward a peaceful world and who makes grand gestures that have the appearance of a step toward the Denu Clear nation of Europe. There has t consolidated within the United Stales a movement that might be called reactive to european confusion on the East West question. There Are a few prominent american who believe that we should initiate not Jie disarmament of inc United Stales bul a withdrawal from Europe. They Are animated primarily by strategic conclusions 10 which they Are driven by a thoughtful Reading of political reality. They Are saying in Feleci the Walt Street journal is the cautious spokesman for this position that the subsidy by the United states of european Independence is progressively implausible. Why should we whose economic resource Are matched by those of Europe  on continued pre dominance in the nato Alliance Given the move in the general direction of Neu travism of which the pods Here cited Are symbolic Why not begin a staged with Flora Lewis drawl of our forces in Europe and look Forward say eight or 10 years from now to a Europe genuinely Independent required either to look after its own geopolitical interests or or what Well or accept political subordination to inc East and in due course political Vassalage to soviet policy. What has not yet happened is the growth of a political movement in Amer Ica thru is motivated by frustration and anger at european indifference to lie vertebral role of America in the Western Alliance. It is by no Means inconceivable thai someone with Liis Eye on the while House will soon adopt a reactive line in the Days ahead to the rhetoric of the european anti Amer Canum. And in is by no Means impossible that such a Leader will consolidate latent forces yearning for he isolation with which the United slates was identified during the 19th Century and much of the 20lh. Its motto idiomatic ally put would be on the order of screw you  the protesters who gather where Rea Gan visits Are larger and noisier Ihan those who gather where Gorbachev vis its. Nowhere is the contrast greater than in Berlin. The Only substantial Demon stration during the past fortnight against soviet totalitarianism in East Berlin pro tested not the Berlin Wall but the inter. Ruled acoustics when a Rock group per forming in West Berlin could not behead in East Berlin. When a Day or two later Ronald Rea an spoke within the Shadow of the Ber Lin Wall asking Gorbachev whether his sincerity in desiring change a ended to his willingness to tear Down the wait that is the principal symbolic effrontery on inc Freedom of the German people Rea Gan s gesture was generally put Down As a reiteration of cold War cant. Why should this be so unless in is also the Case that Europe has lost its perspective on the permanent things that it is fatigued by the Alliance that has kept Europe free it is a problem of malaise. But Jimmy Carter used that word to describe the problem of America and none dare use it to describe the plight of Europe. . Must press for reconciliation in South Korea the violent crisis in South Korea goes on. It will leave More bitter scars in n country that has Many resentments 10 cherish and whatever the United Stales does now anti american feelings Are stoked. There is Little Prospect of any Early euphoric ending of an Era As the election stolen from Corazon Aquino and reclaimed by the will of the people caused in the Philippines. The problem in t just president Chun. Al is the perpetuation of a Tough military run regime in a country that has made extraordinary economic and social Progress in a generation. Politics lags behind. And it is a reflection of the strains added when a country undergoing the difficulties of rapid change is also a key piece in the East West ideological conflict. Like leftist youths in West Germany the korean demonstrator have their own ideas for the country they live in and Don t see Why they should think in Stead about the communist regime next door. Unlike the germans they have not had democratic experience. The country was ravaged by a half Century of japanese occupation. When North Korea invaded in 1950, it had scarcely begun to revive. Since then protected by 41,500 . Troops it has nourished and made an enormous Mark on the world of Commerce. Bul in is Stosl partitioned still smarting at a sen of less than Complete Independence. President Jimm Carter planned to withdraw the . Troops which probably would have been a Good idea in terms of the development of internal South korean politics As Well As in terms of Cost to the United Stales. It was a bad idea strategically so  bad As soviet-. Detente broke Down and Moscow pushed at soft spots around the Globe that he cancelled it. The troops remain and do their Job of guarding the front effectively North Korea is still a taut opaque heavily armed slate with undisguised ambitions. Kim ii sunnis aging but he has t begun 10 Bend in the direction of reforms that even Vietnam Well behind China and the soviet Union has come to admit Are necessary. From Lime to Lime there have been gestures toward minimum accommodation Between the two halves of Korea. But they never got far. There is nothing like the human contacts Between the two Germany a actively and expensively encouraged by Bonn to ease the pain of National partition. It is a shame that Seoul was not willing to accede Pyongyang s demand for a larger share As Hoslo olympic events. That would at least have forced some opening of North Korea and provided some lest of what lies beneath the surface. Nobody knows. Kim is trying to assure that the regime will go on unchanged by preparing the succession of his son which May or May not work. It would be imprudent for South Korea to let Down its guard. Bui this is not i Good enough argument for keeping what is essentially a military regime which dotted its uniforms muzzling the democratic aspirations of the South on the contrary the refusal to consider constitutional Reform before next year s olympics and the failure to convince the opposition that elections will be fair arc causing the trouble now. Even the olympics Are threatened. They should be moved unless there Are Clear signs fairly soon thai the government is prepared to Calm the atmosphere by seek ing reconciliation with is people and it is to be hoped i has now reached the Point of decision. The demand Are not new. Twenty years ago students were rioting in Seoul calling for democracy. Now their children Are saying the same and they won t be denied indefinitely. The dilemma for . Policy has no easy answer. Urging the government to talk to the opposition and to show Resi Raim has l had much effect. Inevitably Many koreans hold the United states responsible for the survival of repression. In the eyes of the demonstrators doing nothing to oppose it is proof of support. But this is not a Case for sanctions certainly not track sanctions which would immediately be seen As a . Trick to limit korean Competition with a thin excuse. Some Stem talk is needed preferably in privates As nol to stiffen the confrontation. Americans made a huge sacrifice to safeguard Korea s Chance for its present Prosperity and its Hopes for democracy. The United states has a right to press the government 10 fulfil thaw hats. But it is also paying the Price of focusing Loo much on global rivalry when inc people directly involved have their own priority c new cd Timus nil i so Jiw