'The OWNED CONTINENT'

“Three generations of Europeans have lived in a world in which they have been vassals of either the United States or the Soviet Union.”

Walking the reader through events as recent as December 2025, Keating’s book outlines how European states have been playing on the back foot since the Second World War.  ‘American by birth, European by choice’, he is a distinguished journalist who has lived the second half of his life in Europe.

As the title suggests, the focus is on the long arm of the USA.  Continentally distanced from the direct ravages of World War I, with a large English-speaking population, the country took full advantage of developing its film industry which it has actively promoted as soft power ever since.  Similar advantages and influence have subsequently come with other media: television, internet, social media, and AI.

Thus English has become the de facto common language of Europe, with countries and their citizens almost feeling ‘American’.  With ‘Black Lives Matter’, most Europeans became concerned with racism in the USA rather than realizing and addressing the issue in their own countries.  They have been bathed in disproportionately more day-to-day and sentimental exposure to the Land of Liberty and Opportunity than the goings-on of their direct neighbours.  

This is changing.  The US elections in 2016 may have been characterized by denial and hope that the 45th President was a blip; his return as 47th in 2025 cemented and deepened the trend – and has plunged many into a process of cognitive dissonance.  People and politicians may have run to ‘daddy’ when insecure, but he is now the one making the threats.