Posted on 06/07/2018 9:40:17 AM PDT by Olog-hai
It was exactly 4 p.m. last Thursday when Peter Altmaier plopped into his seat. The pilot of the government plane quickly taxied to the runway and the German economics minister was happy to get out of Le Bourget business airport in Paris as quickly as possible.
Altmaier had spent two days in the French capital last week as part of efforts to prevent the United States from imposing punitive tariffs on steel and aluminum from the European Union. And just before taking off for home, he received official word that his efforts had been in vain. [ ]
In contrast to traditional foreign or security policy, the EU actually does have real power in the arena of global trade. Measured in terms of the volume of traffic in goods and services, the economy of the European Union is larger than that of the U.S. And if the EU had a united front among its member states, it would be a powerful player in trade policy.
But, once again, thats lacking. Although French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing for a tough line against Trump, the Germans are showing hesitation. Thats not terribly surprising given that the U.S. is Germanys most important trading partner, with almost 10 percent of its exports going to America each year products ranging from cars and machinery to chemical products. No other EU country would stand to lose more in a trade war.
(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...
Merkel is going to look rather small next to Trump.
In numerous ways...
Boo.Hoo. We have been stupid in dealing with a country that has cost us dearly in the past. We have no obligation to make Germans happy, an impossibility.
Every U.S. military installation in Germany should be shut down after 73 years of the U.S. babysitting them. Let the troublemakers defend themselves.
BINGO!!
Our trade deficits are astronomical so trade is not level playing field and our manufacturing base is being obliterated by off shoring and and American companies being driven out of business by competition from dirt cheap foreign competition
Trumps goals are not tit for tat trade retaliation and begger thy neighbor policies, Trump is simply trying to reverse the trend of America's steady decline into de industrialization
Mention of Macron urging a “hard line”. The article is correct in pointing out that Germany has far more invested and to lose in a trade “war”. But besides that it’s possible Macron, having spent more time with Trump, realizes that the latter’s intention is to make a deal, and so opening with a tough position so the deal ends up being somewhere in the middle and reasonable to both sides is actually how a successful business deal is done. A hard headed Teutonic career EU drone like Herr Altmaier may not be used to being told “Nein” and can’t see it’s a process.
Trumpf is the largest industrial laser and machining manufacturer globally. Very well known company. Its not a play on words. Theyve been around and everyone knows them in Industrial manufacturing.
Germans are lucky that they even exist after causing two world wars and loosing both - I can easily imagine a scenario where that country was totally annihilated and never allowed sovereignty again. They are fortunate it was the USA that defeated them - others might not have been so forgiving. Germany seems perpetually an extremely self absorbed country.
No such thing as an innocent German.
It seems to me companies like Porsche could reduce their exposure by building a production facility in the US. Probably want to avoid high tax/UAW infested blue states - just a tip.
I agree with closing our military institution, but am not sure defending Germany was ever the actual objective. Defending the world from Germany was more likely the true purpose.
That’s exactly what they want us to do. Never give such an entity what it wants the most.
If anything, I agree with those that say to move our troops to Poland, but we will have to keep an even closer eye on Germany after such a move.
I’ve always heard that NATO’s purpose was “to keep the Germans down, the Americans in and the Russians out”.
The way things are going over there, it’s like history is repeating itself and NATO might need to be revitalized if anything.
If this were a poker table...then you’d have Germany on one side, and 27 other European countries on the other...betting on them to lose (enjoying as well).
The solution here would be real simple...the EU stands up and goes back to the table with the US and talks over TTIP (dumped in the fall 2016). But I don’t think the bulk of them are encouraged to do so...wanting Germany to suffer a bit before talking.
I’ll bet on numbers looking less rosey for the Germans by the end of the year, and as BREXIT comes around...they will have to come to the table and work up some EU enthusiasm to talk TTIP.
“The Hun is either at your feet or at your throat’’.- Winston Churchill.
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