This story was reported ( Sunday, February 16, 2003 ) by Chronicle staff writer Anna Badkhen in Moscow, and Chronicle Foreign Service correspondents Veronique Mistiaen in London, Elizabeth Bryant in Paris and Jody K. Biehl in Berlin. . ......

Peter Lawrence, 60, a civil servant in Great Wilbraham, England, said: "I hope and am prepared to believe for the moment that (British Prime Minister Tony) Blair is sticking with Bush because he realizes those guys are dangerous . . . and that he can moderate them by being there. ........

...... Patrick Wintour, chief political correspondent for The Guardian, reported on Friday that some British Cabinet members are furious with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for alienating European public opinion, and he quoted one minister as saying of Rumsfeld, "He frightens me." .......

....... Dominique Chadwick, 47, a film producer in Cambridge, England, faulted not only the Bush administration for its "rather arrogant attitude in expecting everyone to go along with its ideas" but ordinary Americans for their "failure to understand the Iraq situation as well as they should."
"They complain about 'Old Europe's' reaction, but I feel that we are much more aware and informed than they are," she added. .......

..... Amid the angst and outrage expressed by Western Europeans, there is also wistfulness over the growing distance from a longtime friend. .......

 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/02/16/MN135066.DTL

San Francisco Chronicle: Anna Badkhen,Veronique Mistiaen,Elizabeth Bryant,Jody K. Biehl - mailto: chronfeedback@sfchronicle.com