A great article on Europhobia vs. Anti-Americanism over at Innocents Abroad by Collin May. Collin provides a very well articulated argument that a primary source of Anti-Americanism in Europe is a manifestation of the Left's still-not-completed Marxist / PostModernist-inspired ideological revolution.   The European Left still aspires to make their elitist, yet-somehow-hyper-egalitarian revolution win in totality.   And in their drive for victory they search for polarizing ideological dividing lines -- in this case, with the previous Enlightenment revolution.  

World wars, economic inequality in the face of economic progress (note that the economic progress is taken as a given), racism, sexism, religious intolerance, etc. are (falsely) viewed as direct outcomes of the Enlightment ideology. 

Unfortunately, it is the Enlightenment and it's notions of the individual, the limited state, equality of opportunity rather than result, universal objectivity, etc. which serves as the overt ideological basis for the American state.  And therefore, anti-Americanism is the necessary outward manifestation of of the European Left's internal desire to destroy their own Old and bring in the New.  

Collin concludes:

The point of all this, is that there is a substantial difference between anti-Americanism and Europhobia. Anti-Americanism is a theoretical and political position based on historical fictions and lies. Further, it tends to derive from Europe’s particular experience with the process of modernization and democratization. It is understandable, but not ultimately credible. The problem is, this view is intrinsic to the political landscape in Europe. It muddies the political waters here and often severely distorts political debate. Europhobia seems to be more a reaction against anti-Americanism and its theoretical foundations. As such, it is a call to sanity and reason, one shared by many Europeans. It is both more practical and more moderate than anti-Americanism, and as such, is not an intrinsic element to American politics.

This isn’t to say that Americans are without fault or to suggest that their criticisms of Europe are never over the top. But I do think there is a difference in kind between anti-Americanism and Europhobia. For this reason, I tend to think Reynolds is perfectly justified in his criticisms of Europe. On the other hand, we shouldn’t entirely dismiss European criticisms of the US when they come from a non-ideological perspective.

Bravo.   I think Collin is right-on. 

There's no question, for example, that I belive that Europe is in the midst of a long term economic/military decline in relevance (brought about in no small part by their political-equality-first ideology).   However, the EU and structures like it will provide them with a short term boost in ideological relevance (and even, for now, a 5-10yr spike in economic relevance).

So, while the European Left's anti-Americanism is symptomatic of:

• a pure power grab -- a desire to find a new unifying theme to help Europe become more assertive and relevant that transcends the "crass concerns" of economic integration
• an ideological sense of superiority -- a belief that all ideas that are old must be discarded and the only way to know what's old is by, well, being old.   Notions such as the morality of actions in particular.

The latter point is latched on to by non-European critics of the US around the globe to feed their own beliefs about their ideological superiority.  They do NOT recognize the degree to which the former actually drives our articulate, erstwhile allies in Europe.

Unfortunately, for us, as WMD proliferate, as economies become more integrated, and as technology empowers individuals to make pin prick attacks with massive downstream consequences, the world is moving to a time/place where the debate between ideologies matter more not less. 

While I have no doubt that we're (generally) doing the right thing for the long term, our ideological opponent's ability to inflict cost on us en route to victory is well outside of our comfort zone.    The only long term answer here is a similar, new assertiveness of faith in our moral fibers.    As I wrote earlier: 

"...this search for Moral Imperative is precisely what triggers accusations of unilateralism from our erstwhile European allies.  Questions of morality are too black and white for a Continental culture accustomed to negotiating between shades of gray and who are particularly skeptical of a Moral basis for action."

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