Germany's unemployment rate is about 11%, their economy is chronically sluggish, their ability to project power is a chimera, and their moral authority is best seen in their being the suppliers of WMD materials to Saddam Hussein for oil concessions.
From where do they think they get the right to be heard?
Germany is no millitary power anymore. BTW - The German people have absolutely no interest to be one. Besides of that you should realize that Germany is as the third largest economy still one of the most powerful economical blocks in this world. I.e. we export more goods than the US. Proof?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051229/ap_on_bi_ge/germany_economy
Strikingly numbers about unemployment do not show everthing.
Maybe we have no right to be heared, but it would be a intelligent move to hear what we say.
:-)