[elhombrelibre]

Germany will move closer to supporting the forces of civilization and democracy now that Schroeder's self-serving anti-Americanism is over. And the coming good news out of Iraq will speed that process.

[hermgem]

Germans have an ingrained and underlying motive for resenting the U.S.
It's envy which day in day out is their big motivator.
They realize that things moved away from Germany.
Unemployment is steep, incomes dwindled, caused from obscene taxation, then unemployment came on top of it, and additionally lowering of wages.
This envy lead to resentment, and yes, hate.
Schroeder manipulated anti Americanism to convince Germans that his motives for a third way, a socialistic society, pacifism, welfare are superior alternatives to capitalism.
Their media while parakeeting Schroeder's party line build and expanded on such superiority theories with ongoing daily overt and covert anti U.S. echo's.
Schroeder's demise is solely due to a stagnant economy, unemployment, plus additional large pending layoffs.
Only less than a 16% minority of graduates from high school to universities are able to join the work force.
Germans know that change is inevitable but are frightened and scared to face these challenges and therefore, while dumping Schroeder voted undecided and in fact stalled on reforms to get this third largest world economy out of stagnation and provide employment.
Germans under Schroeder were told they are world champions in exports for which he took credit, but came to feel that internal creation of wealth, incomes, purchasing power is badly lacking besides having to face these daily reminders of additional pending unemployment.
Too bad such sputtering of Europe's economic engine, too bad for this electorate having evaded a decision of revising conditions towards growth.
Woldwide competition from China, India, the U.S. will not halt, which should bring to their mind that stagnancy is nothing but more of the same or:
further ongoing regression.

[taiwanese_superhawk]

Wow at least he departed in a classy manner...Not!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051012/wl_nm/germany_schroeder_dc_4;_ylt=AidAXdiya40LDIeoG68P4CCiUMYA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[Wiz]

I rather see weak ties as SPD interferes, but at least better than the days when SPD was in power with the Green Party.