Posted on 12/12/2005 6:40:34 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
IT'S THE SORT of behavior we have -- sadly -- come to expect from some in Congress. But when Gerhard Schroeder, the former German chancellor, announced last week that he was going to work for Gazprom, the Russian energy behemoth, he catapulted himself into a different league. It's one thing for a legislator to resign his job, leave his committee chairmanship and go to work for a company over whose industry he once had jurisdiction. It's quite another thing when the chancellor of Germany -- one of the world's largest economies -- leaves his job and goes to work for a company controlled by the Russian government that is helping to build a Baltic Sea gas pipeline that he championed while in office. To make the decision even more unpalatable, it turns out that the chief executive of the pipeline consortium is none other than a former East German secret police officer who was friendly with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, back when Mr. Putin was a KGB agent in East Germany. If nothing else, Mr. Schroeder deserves opprobrium for his bad taste.
But the announcement should also raise questions in German voters' minds about the real reasons Mr. Schroeder was so keen to see this pipeline project launched. The pipeline has cost Germany diplomatically by infuriating its Central European and Baltic neighbors. They point out that the Russian government chose to use the sea route rather than run a new pipeline alongside one that already exists on land, despite the far greater expense. The only possible reason for doing so was political: The Baltic Sea pipeline could allow Russia, a country that has made political use of its energy resources, to cut off gas to Central Europe and the Baltic states while still delivering gas to Germany.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
This is not surprising at all.
Smart Germans if you ask me.
A new spin on the Oil for Food program.
Keep those "smart germans" from starting a formidable army, or we'll soon be seeing the "Fourth Reich".
Is this how the Russians pay off Schroeder regarding Iraq's Oil for Food?
I wonder what position Germany's Greens are taking on this. Hopefully several, as that might help Merkel.
About 500 years ago the Europeans got tired of "transit fees", tolls and imposts on spice trade - and so, Portuguese King sent Vasco da Gama to organize a direct supply route from spice growers. On this occasion, the modern day "spice growers" took the initiative, but that's about the only difference.
Germany can't now and wont be able in the future to punch it's way out of a paper bag.
No matter how sophisticated their weapons were they do not have what it takes inside them.
From Russian Internet-press we can see that: In the first minute of his first presidency Putin signed first decree about "prohibition of criminal prosecution concerning former president Yeltsin". Now, Putin want to obtain the same guarantee after his presidency but no one political partner can give him such guarantee. Moreover, there are 6 criminal cases concerning "citizen" Putin about his shady dealings in St. Petersburg. All 6 were suspended on the time of his presidency. It is so-called "hook" on which he had been hanged when had been chosen as "successor". In such unfavorable circumstances, Mr.Putin (most likely) decided to live in Germany after his presidency. May 13 of 2005, Russia proclaimed about payment 13bln. debt to "Paris club" before the appointed time. 6,5bln. of them must obtain Germany. (Debt was multi-currency: 65% in euro, 22% in US dollar 13% in others..). Using transfer such huge money like "umbrella", Putin has transferred own money to Germany. Now he is ready escape from Russia in case of any unfavorable circumstances. Unfortunately (for Mr.Putin) that Gerhard Schroeder ceded chair of chancellor but we can see how both friends make business helping to each other..
Pretty smart of the russians if you ask me. You I wont comment on.
PING!
Aw come on...it's just Schroeders way of giving Germany the super finger for not reelecting him.
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