The documentary crosses a line when Friedman crosses into Germany. ?We are seeing more parallels to the rise of Hitler and to liberties taken slowly,? a young German tells Friedman. ?Our generation is afraid that America is not seeing what could happen to its own country.? Now, when someone compares Bush to Hitler, he?s probably taken leave of his senses. Sadly, the other Germans in the room don?t argue the point.
It?s up to a group of Americans studying at Oxford to briefly inject a bit of sense into the program. ?I went to Iran and was interviewing students,? one says. ?Unanimously they loved not just America but the American government.? Friedmen observes, ?You go to Iran now for relief from anti-Americanism in Europe. Who?d have thunk that??
Actually, it?s not that surprising. Since 1979, Iranians have lived under a dictatorial government. They know that their salvation and freedom probably depend on the power of the United States. We?re their best hope in a dark world -- Iranians are all too aware they?ll get no support from France or Germany.
To underline that, an anti-war organizer named Julien (stereotypically dressed in a black-and-white striped mock turtleneck) tells Friedman, ?All we hear about is that American soldiers are destroying the lives of Iraqi civilians.? Another protester challenges him to ?prove to me that Iraqis are happy.? She insists she knows they?re not, because she sees unhappy Iraqis every day on al Jazerra, ?and those images are not manipulated.?
Friedman assures her, ?There?s no question to anyone who?s gone to Iraq that the people living in the primarily Shiite areas and the primarily Kurdish areas are far, far happier today than they were under Saddam Hussein.?
The difference between the United States and Europe can be summed up in one sentence. ?In France, there are very few people who believe that you can liberate people by dropping bombs on them,? an anti-war activist named Marie says. Then they must have forgotten that in 1944 the allies liberated France by dropping bombs on it.
Our country hasn?t changed, and Europe has. We?re still serious in our outlook, and they aren?t.
But the day of reckoning may come. Islamic extremists may attack western Europe, as they attacked New York on 9/11. If that happens, the Europeans again will get serious. And Americans will be ready to stand beside them -- and die beside them -- to win another war.