Europe not UK

I am writing in response to Piero Ronci's letter America's interest in the Nov. 4 edition of The Jakarta Post.

"A quixotic denigrator of... America." My original letter, as the vast majority of readers with sufficient intellect would appreciate, was suggesting that Europe (i.e. not England, not the UK, not Italy, etc. individually, but collectively) should take the initiative in the deadlock between the Arabs and the Israelis and protect their vested interests, being geographically closer and more involved in the area. No "denigration" was involved. It was a plea for independent thinking and action by Europe.

Our anti-British friend manages to conclude that the example of the Falkland Islands, a British territory some 7,500 miles from the UK, proves my premises are wrong, thereby illustrating either a failure to grasp the point that the debate is about events here and now, not past, or -- as I suspect -- just another attempt to denigrate any "English" input on anything at all.

I am a Scot, by the way, and your knowledge of geography is more than "patchy". Most literate adults anywhere in the world know that the UK is not only "England". My suggestions were to the Europeans, including the UK. England was never mentioned.

No, Signor, wake up to the real world. Note the debate raging all around you about my very point: Can Europe provide input to attempt to resolve the forthcoming conflict in the Middle East? Can Europe act independently of the USA?

BILL GUERIN

Jakarta