German foreign minister supports regime change in Iraq in clear turnaround

BERLIN - German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Wednesday that he hoped Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s regime would collapse quickly, marking a bold turnaround from previous opposition in the anti-war German government to regime change as a goal of the U.S.-led campaign.

"We hope the regime will collapse as soon as possible and we'll have no further loss of life — civilians or soldiers," Fischer said before a meeting with his British counterpart, Jack Straw at a luxury hotel in Berlin's Grunewald suburb.

Both foreign ministers stressed common ground in Europe on Iraq (news - web sites) — a position that seems hard to stake out in the wake of diplomatic rifts over whether war should be waged to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction.

Germany firmly opposed the war, joining France and Russia in diplomatic efforts against any U.N. resolution that would have authorized force, arguing peaceful means to disarm Iraq had not been exhausted. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has condemned regime change as a war aim.

Britain, joined by Italy, Spain and a raft of eastern European countries, have stood firmly behind the United States' conviction that Iraq would never disarm voluntarily.

The divide over how to disarm Iraq "disguised a great deal of agreement," Straw said.

Fischer grounded his wish for the Iraqi regime's demise in the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Iraq — a similar argument to the one he laid out when he threw his support behind NATO (news - web sites)-led military campaigns to end the Bosnian war and the Kosovo conflict.

Straw said that Germany's sponsorship last week of a U.N. resolution to restart the oil-for-food program augured well for future cooperation among the anti-war and pro-war camps when it comes time to discuss rebuilding Iraq.

He said he could imagine U.N.-sponsored talks on rebuilding Iraq similar to talks on Afghanistan (news - web sites)'s political future held in Bonn in 2001.

"We're not there yet," Straw said. "We have to wait until the military action comes to a proper conclusion."

Both Germany and Britain have emphasized the importance of the United Nations (news - web sites) in re-establishing civil order in Iraq.

"The United Nations must remain in the driver's seat," Fischer's spokesman Walter Lindner said earlier.

"(Fischer) has always, even before the war broke out, pointed to the precarious situation in the region and the dangers of destabilization," Lindner said. "These concerns have not diminished since the beginning of the war."

"On the other hand, we also have always appealed to countries in the region to stick to a strict course of restraint, to behave responsibly and contribute to deescalation," Lindner added.

Guess this was never translated into German...

The Little Red Hen

One summer day the Little Red Hen found a grain of wheat.
"A grain of wheat!" said the Little Red Hen to herself. "I will plant it."
She asked the duck: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the duck.
She asked the goose: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the goose.
She asked the cat: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the cat.
She asked the pig: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will plant it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.
Soon the wheat grew tall, and the Little Red Hen knew it was time to reap it.
"Who will help me reap the wheat?" she asked.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will reap it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

So she reaped the wheat, and it was ready to take to the mill to be made into flour.
"Who will help me carry the wheat to the mill?" she asked.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will carry it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

So she carried the wheat to the mill and the miller made it into flour, and she carried the flour home.
When she got there, she asked, "Who will help me make the flour into dough?"
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will make the dough myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

So she put on a white apron, and mixed the dough. Soon the bread was ready to go into the oven.
"Who will help me bake the bread?" said the Little Red Hen.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will bake it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

After the loaf had been taken from the oven it was set on the table to cool.
"And now," said the Little Red Hen, "who will help me to eat the bread?"
"I will!" said the duck.
"I will!" said the goose.
"I will!" said the cat.
"I will!" said the pig.
"No, I will eat it myself!" said the Little Red Hen.

And she did.

Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies

French Fear They Will Be Left With 'Crumbs' at Time of Reconstruction

Posted by adam_az
On News/Activism 04/05/2003 1:41 PM MST #20 of 99

The Little Red Hen

One summer day the Little Red Hen found a grain of wheat.
"A grain of wheat!" said the Little Red Hen to herself. "I will plant it."
She asked the duck: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the duck.
She asked the goose: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the goose.
She asked the cat: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the cat.
She asked the pig: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will plant it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.
Soon the wheat grew tall, and the Little Red Hen knew it was time to reap it.
"Who will help me reap the wheat?" she asked.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will reap it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

So she reaped the wheat, and it was ready to take to the mill to be made into flour.
"Who will help me carry the wheat to the mill?" she asked.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will carry it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

So she carried the wheat to the mill and the miller made it into flour, and she carried the flour home.
When she got there, she asked, "Who will help me make the flour into dough?"
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will make the dough myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

So she put on a white apron, and mixed the dough. Soon the bread was ready to go into the oven.
"Who will help me bake the bread?" said the Little Red Hen.
"Not I," said the duck.
"Not I," said the goose.
"Not I," said the cat.
"Not I," said the pig.
"Then I will bake it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

After the loaf had been taken from the oven it was set on the table to cool.
"And now," said the Little Red Hen, "who will help me to eat the bread?"
"I will!" said the duck.
"I will!" said the goose.
"I will!" said the cat.
"I will!" said the pig.
"No, I will eat it myself!" said the Little Red Hen.

And she did.

The Little Red Hen

One summer day the Little Red Hen found a grain of wheat.
"A grain of wheat!" said the Little Red Hen to herself. "I will plant it."

She asked the French duck: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the French duck.
She asked the Belgian goose: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the Belgian goose.
She asked the Canadian cat: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the Canadian cat.
She asked the German pig: "Will you help me plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the German pig.
"Then I will plant it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

Soon the wheat grew tall, and the Little Red Hen knew it was time to reap it.
"Who will help me reap the wheat?" she asked.
"Not I," said the French duck.
"Not I," said the Belgian goose.
"Not I," said the Canadian cat.
"Not I," said the German pig.
"Then I will reap it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

So she reaped the wheat, and it was ready to take to the mill to be made into flour.
"Who will help me carry the wheat to the mill?" she asked.
"Not I," said the French duck.
"Not I," said the Belgian goose.
"Not I," said the Canadian cat.
"Not I," said the German pig.
"Then I will carry it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

So she carried the wheat to the mill and the miller made it into flour, and she carried the flour
home. When she got there, she asked, "Who will help me make the flour into dough?"
"Not I," said the French duck.
"Not I," said the Belgian goose.
"Not I," said the Canadian cat.
"Not I," said the German pig.
"Then I will make the dough myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

So she put on a white apron, and mixed the dough. Soon the bread was ready to go into the
oven. "Who will help me bake the bread?" said the Little Red Hen.
"Not I," said the French duck.
"Not I," said the Belgian goose.
"Not I," said the Canadian cat.
"Not I," said the German pig.
"Then I will bake it myself," said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

After the loaf had been taken from the oven it was set on the table to cool.
"And now," said the Little Red Hen, "who will help me to eat the bread?"
"I will!" said the French duck.
"I will!" said the Belgian goose.
"I will!" said the Canadian cat.
"I will!" said the German pig.

"No, I will eat it myself!" said the Little Red Hen.
And she did.

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