13 June 2008
Marshall Plan Holds Lessons for Middle East, Says Bush
Euro-American partnership must stand with reformers, counter extremists
Washington -- As the Marshall Plan brought new hope to the people of postwar Europe, a new generation on both sides of the Atlantic must now come together to support others seeking the peace and prosperity that democracy can bring, says President Bush.
“Europe and America must stand with reformers and democratic leaders and millions of ordinary people across the Middle East who seek a future of hope and liberty and peace,” Bush said in a June 13 speech at the Paris headquarters of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Today a 30-nation global partnership dedicated to a wide range of economic, social and environmental issues, OECD began in 1948 as the Organization for European Economic Cooperation, the body overseeing America’s strategy for the reconstruction of Europe, named after then-Secretary of State George C. Marshall. (See “Bush Visits Europe 60 Years After Marshall Plan.”)
“The Marshall Plan was the source of aid and assistance, and it wisely gave Europeans the leading role in reconstruction,” said Bush. “By doing so, the plan conveyed a message of partnership and respect.”
The Marshall Plan helped set the stage for both trans-Atlantic security cooperation under NATO and regional unity under today’s European Union, Bush said, as well as the wide-ranging partnership seen between America and Europe showcased in Bush’s final presidential visit to the region June 9-16. (See “Bush Sees European Trip as Vital to Continuing Global Commitments.”)
“When the time comes to welcome a new American president next January, I will be pleased to report to him that the relationship between the United States and Europe is the broadest and most vibrant it has ever been,” Bush said, highlighting cooperation in trade and investment, energy and climate change, counterterrorism and other international security issues, and efforts to reduce and alleviate global poverty and HIV/AIDS.
But the shared democratic ideals rooted in the values of liberty, tolerance and justice at the heart of the Euro-American partnership that once stood as an alternative to life under communism must now be brought to bear against the forces of extremism that seek to wipe out dissenting voices and impose their rule across the Middle East, Bush said.
“The rise of free and prosperous societies in the broader Middle East is essential to peace in the 21st century, just as the rise of a free and prosperous Europe was essential to peace in the 20th century,” he said.
Europe and America are making a difference in Afghanistan, Bush said, through the NATO-led peacekeeping coalition that is allowing the country to rebuild after decades of war and oppressive rule. Bush thanked France for hosting the June 12 International Conference in Support of Afghanistan, which raised more than $20 billion in new reconstruction aid. (See “Afghan Determination Earns $20 Billion in New Aid.”)
For Lebanon, Bush urged leaders to continue efforts to help the country’s government preserve its sovereignty by standing up to Hezbollah and the extremist group’s sponsors in Syria and Iran, two other nations in the region whose citizens also deserve the better lives that democracy could bring.
Palestinians and Israelis continue to work toward peace through the creation of two democratic states living side by side, Bush said, while violence is on the decline in Iraq and its elected leaders continue on the path to democracy.
Since 2001, democracy has made new inroads from Kuwait to Algeria, from Saudi Arabia to Morocco, and from Jordan to Bahrain and Yemen. OECD’s initiatives, as well as others from the G8 and the United States, must find new ways to encourage the trend.
“Liberty takes hold in different places and different ways, so we must continue to adapt and find innovative ways to support those movements for freedom,” Bush said.
The Middle East’s growing youth population and a burgeoning women’s movement seeking change are two hopeful signs, said Bush, as are millions of Middle Eastern immigrants residing in Europe who see the benefits of democracy every day and would like to see the same for their families back home.
“As some of the world's oldest democracies, we should never be surprised by the appeal of freedom,” Bush said. “One day the same determination and desire that brought freedom to Paris and Berlin and Riga will bring freedom to Gaza, Damascus and Tehran.”
Bush’s remarks are available from America.gov.
