For all the complaints from American right-wingers that the European Union is a nation of appeasers whom do not stand up to thuggish regimes, the EU is actually more tougher on Iran than the Obama administration. Whether that is a good or bad things is a matter of judgment, of course.

[Graphic from TheGlobalist.com]

After Iranian authorities in the hard-line Ahmadinejad government arrested nine local staffers at the British embassy in Tehran [five has since been released], European leaders expressed unequivocal support for Britain’s efforts to secure the release of its staff. EU leaders even threatened to withdraw all of their ambassadors from Iran. After Iranian officials announced that they were charging the remaining four held staffers with incitement during the protests that rocked Tehran after the suspect election, 27 EU nations summoned their local Iranian ambassador for tough criticism of the regime’s actions.

Thus far the EU has yet to withdraw any ambassador, but is engaging in tough public words against the hard-line Iranian regime. But the European Union may be waiting for the G8 Summit - hosted by Italy - for a tougher approach.

Reports state that the Europeans plan to present tougher sanctions against Iran at the G8 Summit in light of Iran’s tough crackdown against demonstrators. What the sanctions will be exactly is uncertain both in terms of how they will be applied - on a EU basis or an attempt through the United Nations Security Council - and to the degree they will restrict trade.

What reports are also noting is that the Obama administration is working behind the scenes - and presumably will continue at the summit - to get the Europeans to withhold any proposed sanctions. The Obama is opposed to impose further sanctions against Iran on the grounds that this will undermine the administration’s stated goal of reaching out to the regime.

The administration wants to withhold sanctions as a bargaining chip. If the EU presses further sanctions against Iran, the ruling conservative elite may grow less cooperative. So Eurabia may now be seen as a hero for American Zionists and right-wingers as Obama appears to them more of a novice dove.