ISU experts said President George W. Bush is facing controversy during his trip to Europe.

Richard Mansbach, professor of political science, said the timing of this trip was very bad since it was one day after Timothy McVeigh’s execution, which most European countries disapproved of.

“Europe echoes the same concerns that Americans have,” he said. “Most important is Bush is a unilaterist, taking action without consulting his allies.”

Matthias Kaelberer, associate professor of political science, said from a European standpoint Bush has acted without consulting the rest of the world.

“There is a perception that the United States has used more unilateral decision making with the Kyoto Protocol and missile defense,” Kaelberer said.

Mansbach said Europeans, have issues with the missile defense program announced with no strategy and global warming.

“Global warming is important to Europeans and frankly the president looks foolish saying that he is going to sign the treaty as a candidate and then not signing the treaty as president,” he said.

Having a president and vice president involved in oil and no interest in doing anything with global warming is difficult for Europeans to understand, Mansbach said.

He said Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield has not made the transition any easier with his discussion in Europe.

“The secretary of defense is a problem because he has gone over to Europe and dictated, you will learn to love him,” Mansbach said. “You just don’t do that from a diplomacy standpoint.”

Mansbach said he is baffled as to why Bush is pushing so hard for the missile defense program.

“Lacking a sensible reason for missile defense, and it has not even passed a single test, why would you announce a policy that will upset your allies when it does not work,” he said.

Kaelberer said the death penalty has been making its way out of Europe and its not seen as a highlight that the U.S. still has the death penalty.

“Europeans see the death penalty as a violation of human rights and the United States is the only western government to have the death penalty,” he said.

“The European Union now makes it an entry requirement to abolish the death penalty if they want to become a member of the union.”

The European Union writes letters to state governors every time a person is set to be executed in the U.S., Kaelberer said.

Mansbach said the United States has not really developed a foreign policy and it is not good to have a president weak in foreign policy.

“America is a super power and usually the leader of the western alliance and [it] looks like they don’t know what they are doing,” Mansbach said.

Mansbach said there is not a lot Bush will be able to gain in this trip to Europe.

“The best Bush can hope for is a reasonably pleasant photo opportunity and to convince Europe he is not so perversely unilateral as he appears and will consult with them in the future,” he said.