[optimistically_conservative]

Would you help put my concerns to rest?

I served in Germany from 1988-1992. I spoke German fairly well and lived on the economy. I made friends with my neighbors and the German soldiers we served with.

I'm starting to get the impression there has been a "madrassa" movement since the wall fell in Germany to re-educate the German public - in the media or in public schools - to downplay Americanism (even anti-Americanism) and improve nationalism.

This poll really bothers me. I no longer think this is a problem with the Schroeder administration, but a rift in the transatlantic friendship brought about by EU-ism and nationalism from German reunification and anti-NATO expansion feelings.

I'm really at the end of my rope here. I'm asking my reps in Congress to support Bush/Rumsfeld in relocating US forces from Germany and sanctioning German businesses.

[tictoc]

Situation bad but not all hopeless.

The media - newspapers and broadcasters - are largely a lost cause: far too many socialistic (read: Marxist) journalists.

However, I see some stirrings of ordinary Germans waking up to the insane policies of their government.

Message boards on yahoo.de used to be heavily skewed to leftist, post-modern, multiculturalist, Green, marxist, anti-Jewish, anti-American posters.

Since last year, more and more decent middle-of-the-road and conservative Germans coming on line. We may be seeing the beginning of a "take back our country" movement.

There is yet hope.

[kittymyrib]

If the Germans weren't so abjectly humorless, they would have known how hilarious the results of this poll are to Americans who haven't forgotten the history of the last hundred years. But along with their humorlessness, Germans unfortunately have the obtuse stubborness of believing they are always right...really unattractive qualities that they are again exhibiting in their foreign policy.

[STFrancis]

What it comes down to is this...

Clinton has been portrayed as this great leader by the media... and Bush like the second coming of the anti-christ....

Not much Anti-Americanism or nationalism... but a worrying about what war will bring... Schroeder trying to stay out of it against the advise of his foreign minister etc. doesn't help either. He must know something the rest of them don't. Plus, please note that it has gone downhill ever since Schroeder has been in power.... And with the last elections the CDU getting screwed out of power again by the greens it doesn't really help....

The CDU is beside itself and has already affirmed to Rummy that they would have been long on board.

The way it looks to me is that Schroeder is playing his own game right now...

There is a reason that his pollnumbers are the LOWEST of any chancellor EVER!!!!

[Michael81Dus]

The worst is driving apart more! You said you made good experiences with Germans and the country. Great! We need more of you. Your German friends would never say something negative about your nation - and vice versa! We need more of your sort, not less! That´s why I say pulling US forces out were the false signal.