15,000 Protest Bush and 'War on Terrorism' in Germany

STEVEN ERLANGER & DAVID E SANGER / NYT 23may02

Berlin -- President Bush arrived in Berlin on Wednesday night faced with the task of convincing skeptical Europeans that he is willing to listen to -- if not wholly accept -- the advice of allies as he decides how to deal with Iraq, Iran and the Middle East.

On his first trip to Europe since Sept. 11, the president sped from Tegel Airport to a cafe near the Brandenburg Gate that once divided East and West, where he met Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder for apple strudel, vanilla ice cream and coffee.

It was a relaxed start to a seven-day trip that will take the president to four countries. The highlight of the trip will be the signing of a major arms control treaty in Moscow and an accord tying NATO closer than ever to Russia, the adversary the alliance was founded to confront.

In his roughly 20 hours in Germany, the major challenge for Bush will come today, when he speaks about America's relations with Europe at the restored Reichstag building that now houses the parliament of reunified Germany. Located near where the Berlin Wall once stood, the building has come to symbolize a uniting Europe, free of communism.

But while Bush seeks to placate Europeans put off by his decision to slap tariffs on foreign steel, withdraw U.S. support from the International Criminal Court and actively pursue a plan to unseat Saddam Hussein, his themes here are clear. The Cold War may be over, but the war on terror has -- in the Bush administration's view -- only begun.

Before leaving Washington, Bush told European journalists at the White House that "I will remind our friends that this war is far from over," and he plans to argue that Europe remains vulnerable to al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.

"Even though we've had some initial successes, there's still danger for countries which embrace freedom, countries such as ours, or Germany, France, Russia or Italy," he said.

The Europeans clearly do not believe that they are at war. They are worried that Bush may drag them into a new war in Iraq, destabilize the Middle East and put enormous strain on NATO.

About 15,000 demonstrators took to the streets Wednesday night to criticize Bush on topics from the war on terrorism to environmental policy. But Bush did not see them as his motorcade sped through sealed-off, nearly deserted streets.

The historic center of Berlin where Bush is staying was covered with a heavy police presence. Roads were blocked, sharpshooters roamed roofs, and helicopters churned overhead hours before Bush was even scheduled to arrive.

Politicians took pains to make clear that they were happy Bush had finally come to the capital of one of Washington's greatest allies.