[longjack]

I am rather surprised at this criticism of the Germans and praise for the American efforts. It's totally uncharacteristic of this publication, best I can tell.

"Spiegel" at times will run pro-US articles. I find them to be the 'firstest with the mostest' on current events, and they have an RSS feed, so I usually end up translating a lot of their articles.

In this case, an estimated 3200 Germans are still missing in Asia. It's an important matter to that country. Although the Germans are not missing in Indonesia, the fact that US GI's are carrying supplies where it's needed non-stop, while all a measley contingent of 9 Germans can do is b*tch about 'coordination ' problems and 'confer' with aid organizations doesn't cut the mustard.

Additionally, older Germans remember the helpfulness of the GI's after WW II and during the Berlin airlift. These shots bring back those memories, and banish the Abu Ghraib stories to where they belong, as the stupid acts of non-representative soldiers.

We're doing the heavy lifting and they're trying to talk a good game. Normal Germans see through that BS just like we do.

When the sh*t hits the fan, count on the US to be there. No talk, just action.

longjack

[Dog Gone]

I like Germans in general, and I still hold out hope for them to reverse their socialist and pacifist tendencies over the past couple of decades. I have no such hopes for France, in comparison.

Still, it's painful to watch such impotence from one of the great powers of the last century.