Posted on 04/19/2003 2:57:45 PM PDT by jern
Now now, let's not be vindictive. We can be bigger than that. Let's consider forgiving them in 50 years.
Well, Mad Tom, maybe ;)
What will be painful and will not serve to heal the rift is that a redeployment of U.S. troops from German soil is inevitable and perhaps even imminent. This will be perceived as a reply to German policies during the Iraq confrontation - it isn't really any such thing. But it can be made to appear no other way.
NATO has been changed forever, and I think this is beginning to sink in. Brussels blocking support for the Turks in return for an EU membership that now looks impossible was a major problem from the Turks' point of view inasmuch as they risked U.S. displeasure - and are now feeling it, in spades - by disallowing troop movement from their country. In return they got nothing. And now they can no longer trust NATO as an organ of collective security. This is simply a huge political blunder on the part of the EU bureaucracy. And the U.S. is in no particular mood to forgive the Turks, and why should we be?
The French position, in view of (1) their large contracts with a genocidal despot, (2) their ongoing military intervention in Africa, and (3) their willful destruction of UN credibility, is simply contemptible. It isn't often that a single nation's diplomatic policies attempt unsuccessfuly to undercut a neighbor (Blair), destroy both regional and international collective security organs, irritate present EU members, insult upcoming EU members, repeatedly insult the United States' government and even citizens, and wind up with nothing for all that. The only wonder is that they still seem to regard the U.S. as clumsy and unsophisticated. Talleyrand and Richelieu are spinning in their graves.
It is nearly cliche by now to state that the world has changed, but what was not obvious was that to a great degree what it has changed into is not solely a product of U.S. policies, but to those of France, Germany, Turkey, Belgium, and certainly Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Japan, Poland, Denmark, Bulgaria, the Czech republic, and a host of others. This is not a new alignment set in concrete, but it is proof that the old one is shattered beyond repair and no apology can bring it back. Unnoticed in all this portrayal of the U.S. as a maddened elephant run amok is that the power within Europe has shifted, and it cannot be pretended that it will shift back due to wishful thinking. We go forward from here, and if "here" isn't entirely comfortable for some people they have only themselves to blame.
To show what good sports we are about the whole thing, we're going to vacate all those military bases, and give them up to you. More land for your people (call it "lebensraum"!), less of that US military presence that makes you so jittery, and less Americans to be offended by any errant remarks.
We're sure that the extra $5 billion you'll have to spend providing for your own defense, and the sharp decrease in the infusion of the soldiers' US spending dollars, won't trouble your Socialist paradise too much. We're also sure that your fine neighbors and compatriots, the French, will be far happier with the lowered US global military presence that they, too, disparage so. We're sure that they'll appreciate the German Army's resurrection on their border now the the EU is becoming such a world leader.
Best of luck to you both. We're happy that we can help out in this manner.
The politics may be smoothed over. What has happened this time is different; the American people have been aroused.
We have long memories.
:-(
This is interesting as well:
His stinging criticism of the Bush government, including accusations it changed the goal of disarming Iraq to one of overthrowing President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), was hugely popular in Germany and helped Schroeder come from far behind in surveys to beat challenger Edmund Stoiber in the September election.
A short term tariff on Mercedes, BMWs and Volkswagens would be nice.
Of course, raining down a few JDAMs would be nice as well, but let's not get greedy...
Remember Bushs' parting words to Daschle as he made his appearance on inauguration day?
He shook Daschle's hand, looked him in the eye and said, "Don't ever lie to me".
Bush is not stupid, as so many believe, and he's certainly not to be trifled with.
you left out something.....
We have VERY long memories.
You beat me to it! There's an endless supply of two-bit politicians in Germany -- They can flush this one now and get it over with . . .
That's nice. But he hasn't addressed the "exaggerated remarks" of his and his fellow countrymen that have soured Freeper Eala.
I had not heard that before. That's good. Okay, "6:Germany" goes off the list.
From: United States President, George W. Bush
Topic: Your Apology
I am pleased to see that you have come to your senses,
and that you have mustered the manhood to apologize
in public. I know it must have taken difficult for you.
I can only say "Sorry, not accepted."
"Nyeh nyeh nyeh nyeh nyeh!"
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