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"Old Europe" is a term that was used by then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in January 2003 to refer to European countries that did not support the 2003 invasion of Iraq, specifically France and Germany. In a more common meaning of the term, it refers to Europe as the "Old World" as opposed to especially America as the "New World". ==Rumsfeld's term== On January 22, 2003 Rumsfeld answered a question from Charles Groenhuijsen, a Dutch journalist, about the potential US invasion:〔(Secretary Rumsfeld Briefs at the Foreign Press Center ). U.S. Department of Defense. January 22, 2003.〕〔http://video.msnbc.msn.com/msnbc/4017033#4017033 ''Old Europe''〕 The expression was interpreted as a dig against a "sclerotic" and old-fashioned Western Europe. It became a potent symbol, especially after division emerged over Iraq between France and Germany and some of the new Central and Southeastern European entrants and applicants to NATO and the European Union.〔(Outrage at 'old Europe' remarks ). BBC News. January 23, 2003.〕 Rumsfeld would later claim his comment was "unintentional," and that he had meant to say "old NATO" instead of "old Europe;" during his time as ambassador to NATO, there were only fifteen alliance members, and France and Germany had played a much larger role than after the admission of may new (particularly Eastern European) countries. Nonetheless, he claims he "was amused by the ruckus" when the term became debated.〔Rumsfeld, Donald. ''Known and Unknown: A Memoir'', Penguin Group, New York, 2011, pp. 444-45. ISBN 978-1-59523-067-6〕 Further diplomatic tension built up when Rumsfeld pointed out in February 2003, that Germany, Cuba and Libya were the only nations completely opposing a possible war in Iraq (a statement that was formally correct at the time). This was interpreted by many that he would put Germany on a common level with dictatorships violating human rights.〔Cornwell, Rupert (February 8, 2003). (Rumsfeld 'mends fences' by lumping Germany with Cuba and Libya in an axis of bad boys ). ''The Independent''.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Old Europe (politics)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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