They applauded him everywhere on his recent trip to Europe, but sent him home almost empty-handed, resisting the idea of a coordinated fiscal stimulus and, after years of preaching multilateralism, turning down his call for more European troops for Afghanistan. For many in Europe, it was easier to live against Bush than to make sacrifices with Obama.
修补旧有的联盟关系不但对美国发挥实力至关重要，对于欧洲扮演全球性角色也不可或缺。然而，正是美国的欧洲盟友们制造了奥巴马的第一次挫折。在他最近的欧洲之旅中，所到之处都是掌声一片，可欧洲人最后还是让他空手而归。他们抵制了协同的财政刺激计划，并在鼓吹多边主义多年之后，拒绝了奥巴马向阿富汗派驻更多欧洲军队的呼吁。对于许多欧洲人而言，和布什唱反调要比与奥巴马一起做出牺牲更容易。