From Sebastian Fischer, Spiegel:  Europe is socialist, bloated and a threat to the global economy. That appears to be the message from the ongoing presidential campaign in the US. Republicans in particular have discovered Europe as a convenient punching bag

From Michael Birnbaum, the Washington Post:  For decades, Germany’s role in Europe has been to supply the cash, not the leadership.

From Desmond Lachman, the Wall Street Journal:  A European failure to contain its debt crisis would be a monumental electoral setback for Mr. Obama.

It is an old cliché that the European Union only advances in the wake of a crisis. Recently though, it has seemed like every time the EU takes action its response is deemed too little too late.

From Carrie Budoff Brown, POLITICO:  Obama departs on a six-day trip Sunday, hoping to prove to his hosts that he hasn’t forgotten about them.

From Karl Ritter, the AP:  Swedish fighter jets are roaring into action over Libya under NATO command.

From Mary Fitzgerald, the Irish Times:  Alexander Smirnov is the diplomat identified by the Garda investigation into the production of six fake passports for use by a US-based spy ring.

From the Irish Examiner:  A diplomat at the Russian Embassy in Dublin has been fired and asked to leave the country after an investigation revealed Russian involvement in the forgery of Irish passports.