Germany's conservatives attack Schroeder on Iran

ABC News ^ | Aug 14, 2005

[Hadean]

Aug 14, 2005 — BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's conservative opposition said on Sunday Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's warnings against using military force to make Iran give up its nuclear program risked undermining international solidarity for electoral gain.

"The Chancellor is creating the fatal impression in Tehran that the world community is not united anymore," Wolfgang Schaeuble, senior foreign policy specialist of the opposition Christian Democrats told the daily Die Welt.

"In doing so, he is accepting the consequence that the danger of an Iranian atom bomb will grow," he said, according to an extract of an article from Monday's edition.

Iran angered the European Union and the United States by resuming work at a uranium conversion plant last Monday, rejecting an EU incentives package offered in return for giving up its nuclear program.

Tehran says it aims only to produce electricity and denies Western accusations it is seeking a nuclear bomb.

Speaking on Saturday at a rally ahead of next month's general election, Schroeder rejected using force against Iran.

He was apparently responding to comments aired a few hours earlier from President Bush, who said military force remained a last resort to press Tehran to abandon its nuclear program.

Echoing his earlier opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq, Schroeder said: " … let's take the military option off the table. We have seen it doesn't work."

Schaeuble said Schroeder was exploiting the Iran issue to tap into Germany's deep-seated opposition to U.S. military action in Iraq ahead of the coming election.

"Schroeder is acting completely irresponsibly for electoral purposes. He's acting as though the problem were in Washington, rather than Tehran even though he knows that isn't so."

Schroeder's opposition to military action against Iraq in the run up to the 2003 war was seen as one of the main factors behind his unexpected victory in the 2002 election, when he accused the conservatives of toeing Washington's line.

[NathanBookman]

Schroeder said: " … let's take the military option off the table. We have seen it doesn't work."

What an a-hole!

[NathanBookman]

Schroeder said: " … let's take the military option off the table. We have seen it doesn't work."

I originally said "What an a-hole!". But now I take it back, he had to be referring to WW2.

[OldFriend]

Well well well. Someone with the guts to tell the truth.

The euroweenies undermined the efforts to get Saddam Hussein and now Schroeder is playing the same game with Iran.

[drpix]

Germans and Islamist always worked well together! Here's some linked photos of Yasser Arafat's uncle - the Grand Mufti of Jerusalum (Hajj Amin al-Husayni) during WW II. In the words of the Grand Mufti, there are "considerable similarities between Islamic principles and National Socialism."

The Grand Mufti Salutes Nazi Troops

The Grand Mufti w/ Hitler (1941)

Grand Mufti inspects his Moslem Nazi troops (1943)

Yes, those Fezzes had SS insignia

[David1]

If Schroeder goes anti-Bush again for the 2nd time, I say that I hope Bush severs diplomatic relations with Germany!!

[snowsislander]

"Schroeder is acting completely irresponsibly for electoral purposes. He's acting as though the problem were in Washington, rather than Tehran even though he knows that isn't so."

I'm glad to see that at least some German politicians understand the gravity of this situation.

[jim macomber]

If memory serves (research not experience), the Grand Mufti was a Lt. General in the SS. And there was at least one Muslim SS Division - Handschar - in WWII. A second was contemplated but was never realized.
As a matter of fact, that and the Handschar Division feature prominently in one of the plot lines of "A Grave Breach" - my third novel now in the pipeline.

[drpix]

Your memory is right: that's them in the Photos. And the Mufti WAS Arafat's uncle. That's why he used another name rather than his birth name Mohammed Abder Rauf Arafat al-Kudwa al-Husayni.

[Calvin Locke]

Schroeder's opposition to military action against Iraq ....

The way I remember events was Schroeder campaigned against America. Iraq just happened to be a current topic.

If it wasn't Iraq, it would have been something else.

But this is an ABC News report. No bias there, nothing to see, move along, and accept the swill.

Glad to see the spirit of Peter Jennings is with them still.

[F14 Pilot]

Conservatives will win the next election in Germany

[stefan10]

You will not find such german politicians.

The conservative opposition has no opinion on foreign policy or better they fear to make any clear comment. It is a real shame to see these "conservatives" acting and schröder just hopes to get another debate on foreign policy. he knows that the vast majority of germans share his point of view.
All parties are against the war in iraq. the same is true in the case of iran.

The simple reason is the conservatives would lose another election here in germany if they would take a different approach.
it does not matter who wins the election on these issues of foreign policy .
There will be no change

[An.American.Expatriate]

I'm glad to see that the opposition is not letting Schroeder get away with this as easily as they did before - however, you'd think that at least ONE of them wold point out the insanity of ruling out ANY option as that just emboldens your "partner" to demand more and more as you will NEVER make good on any "threat".

[An.American.Expatriate]

What makes you so certain of that?? The polls seem to be showing a downward trend for the conservatives!

[F14 Pilot]

Hmmm... I am not a political analyst but I said what I see

High Rate of Un-employment
Bad Economy
Withdrawal of US troops from Germany which is a big blow to German economy

[wolf78]

"I'm glad to see that the opposition is not letting Schroeder get away with this as easily as they did before - however, you'd think that at least ONE of them wold point out the insanity of ruling out ANY option as that just emboldens your "partner" to demand more and more as you will NEVER make good on any "threat"."

Yes, and that is the decisive difference between the SPD and the CDU: While war, for reasons well known, will never be very popular in Germany, the CDU, other than the SPD which tries to run on a platform made up of wacko pacifism and subliminal anti-Americanism, is well aware that to protect peace, sometimes a believable threat has to be made. Again, I would like to refer you to Angela Merkel's opinion piece in the Washington Post from 2003:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A32835-2003Feb19

A quote from Angela Merkel, the CDU contender for the office of chancellor:

"It is true that war must never become a normal way of resolving political disputes. But the history of Germany and Europe in the 20th century in particular certainly teaches us this: that while military force cannot be the normal continuation of politics by other means, it must never be ruled out, or even merely questioned -- as has been done by the German federal government -- as the ultimate means of dealing with dictators. Anyone who rejects military action as a last resort weakens the pressure that needs to be maintained on dictators and consequently makes a war not less but more likely.

This is a grave matter: Peace is a supreme good, for the sake of which every effort has to be made. But it is also true that responsible political leadership must on no account trade the genuine peace of the future for the deceptive peace of the present. The determination and unity of the free nations will, in the Iraq conflict, have a decisive effect not only on the outcome of the crisis but on the way in which we shape the future of Europe and its relationship with the United States. They will have a decisive effect, too, on how we guarantee peace, freedom and security, and how we find appropriate answers to the new threats of our time. Will it be alone or together, with determination or in despair, with our partners or against them?"

Or as a wise man once said: "I love peace, therefore I despise pacifism".

[wolf78]

"Withdrawal of US troops from Germany which is a big blow to German economy"

For the local economy of some towns in Rhineland Palatinate, Baden Wuerttemberg or Hesse (states with an overwhelming sympathy for the soldiers stationed there, other than in the East German states), certainly.

For the national economy as whole: Not really. Again: The German economy is still the world's third largest and not to be compared with Romania.

[An.American.Expatriate]

Nor am I F14!! I just live here and "listen".

This entire "election" thing was well planned by Schroeder and his cronies.

The SPD head gave the lead-off with the "Locusts" statements (US capatlists are responsible for the misery of the Germans).

By playing the class warfare card - and then the US Imperialist card -he is playing directly to the Hard Left Base.

Since the "center" in germany is left of center, even some of the so-called conservatives like what he is saying!!

I'm just waiting for another Däubler-Gmelin moment from someone in his cabinet (someone expendable, as she was at the time).

BTW - the PDS/WASG distraction is a brilliant move! The CDU/CSU is forced to fight on several fronts and the SPD can remain comfortable on the left...

This has been well orchastrated for MONTHS. I only hope the plan backfires and that the German People really WILL wake up and realize in which direction they are sailing . . .

[wolf78]

"This has been well orchastrated for MONTHS. I only hope the plan backfires and that the German People really WILL wake up and realize in which direction they are sailing . . ."

I completely agree. Part of this well orchestrated scheme is also that parts of the SPD talk about a "grand coalition" between SPD and CDU, in order not to loose the voters from the center, when in reality it is absolutely sure that if there's a mayority for Red-Red-Green (SPD, Linkspartei/PDS and the Green party), the will use the left-wing option.

Also a brilliant smokescreen And I do hope that this scheme is gonna fail.

As to the political spectrum in Germany: In a way, one could say that the CDU/CSU is very mucht THE center party (just like Tony Blair's labour party isn't really left, but also a center party), with the FDP being right of center in certain fields (economy) and left of the center in other fields (civil liberties).

Still, as you can see above, Angela Merkel is a far better choice than Gerhard Schroeder, as she has one thing that Schroeder essentially lacks: Moral convictions.

She knows about the value of democracy and she's no friend of dictators like Schroeder and Chirac are, having grown up under a dictatorship.

In closing I would like to quote Professor Michael Wolffsohn (who's a fascinating character and certainly not shy about his opinions) of the Bundeswehr university: "Wenn '60 Jahre danach' der deutsche Volkszorn offen oder verdeckt gegen 'die' USA, 'die' Kapitalisten und gegen als Tierplage bezeichnete Menschen aufgeheizt wird, fühle ich mich als Bürger nicht mehr sicher."

In English: "If '60 years after [nazism]' German public anger is rallied - overtly or covertly - against the US, the capitalists and people that are labeled as animals or a plague, I don't feel save any longer as a citizen."

And that's what's at stake in these elections.

[wolf78]

The FDP thematized this in one of their online campaigns: It reads: Freedom instead of socialism!