Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

New Chancellor comes to call (Germany´s Merkel meets President Bush)
Washington Times ^ | Robert Gerald Livingston

Posted on 01/12/2006 11:26:24 AM PST by Michael81Dus

Germany's new Chancellor Angela Merkel, due for a warm welcome in the Bush White House tomorrow, represents a new political phenomenon in her country. Her government embraces her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) with their Bavarian allies in the Christian Social Union, and the Social Democrats, the first time such lineup in 37 years.

It is quite unlike its predecessor, the Red/Green coalition of 1998-2005, in which the ranks were filled with "sixty-eighters,"offspring of the 1968 anti-Vietnam War and anti-establishment student revolt, in whose new-leftist hearts dislike and distrust of America lingered.

Germany's relations with Washington have nearly always been better with CDU-run governments.

(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Germany; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bush; germany; merkel; merkelvisit
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 261-279 next last
To: fatima

You're welcome.


61 posted on 01/12/2006 2:15:40 PM PST by RockinRight ("It's as if all the brain-damaged people in America got together and formed a voting bloc" - Coulter)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: GodBlessUSA

You are so right there, GB. We take the criticism and then help the ones who criticise when they need us. That's what we do. Some of the monsters locked up in Gitmo would be happy to do harm to our EU "friends" just because they are "infidels" in the monsters' eyes. They--the terrorists--don't care where we are from, just who (or what) we are.


62 posted on 01/12/2006 2:15:48 PM PST by luvie (Everyone that doesn't like what America and President Bush has done for Iraq can all go to HELL.-BD)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: Michael81Dus

Not criminals.. Captured on the battle field. Unlawful combatants.

Terrorists not jaw walkers.


63 posted on 01/12/2006 2:15:54 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (Democrats value the privacy of terrorists higher than the lives of Americans.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: Michael81Dus
Fair trials for criminals are the basics of our western world... or shall I say "were"??

There is your problem. They are NOT criminals. The modern Terrorists are not the same as the terrorist gangs Europe dealt with in the 1970s. The scope, organization and reach of the Al Qeda is more on the lines of a nation then an old style terrorist gang.Where the old terrorist gangs consisted of a few hundred members, Al Qeda has 10s of thousands. Were EU terrorists had target limited to national political issues, Al Qeda is a GLOBAL organization with GLOBAL targets. Thus you have a situation where there is no nation state to declare war on but you are fighting an entity that has global reach and power.

Europe's problem is they are acting like ostriches. They feel they can just hid their head in the sand and pretend nothing has changed. Everything changed on 9-11. There has NEVER been a terrorist movement like Al Qeda. Europe COULD be part of coming up with the new structures and methods of dealing with them IF it would admit the problem exists.

For example, the terrorist were captured waging acts of war against the USA without being members of a uniformed military. What crime do we charge them with? What court do we try them in? Who has jurisdiction over them? If convicted, who punishes them? What rules of evidence govern their trial? Which legal structure do we try them under? Very easy to demand simplistic approaches such as "treat them like criminals" vastly harder to put that simplistic answer into practice.

64 posted on 01/12/2006 2:16:40 PM PST by MNJohnnie (Resistance is futile. We are the Freepers. You will be assimilated)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: StarCMC; GodBlessUSA

Merkel was not against the Iraq war. She stood on your side and visited Washington in Feb 2003 when she was called an "ass crawler of Bush" at home. With her position, she has proven to have a backbone.

Germany supports the WOT, with the largest contingent in Afghanistan after the US, and several smaller engagements at the Horn of Africa. Our elite soldiers have fought the Taliban from the first days of the war - side by side with your troops.

Even during the Iraq war and afterwards until end of 2004 German soldiers protected the US facilities in Germany as "host nation support" making GI´s available for Iraq. The US will maintain ca. 35,000 soldiers in Germany from 2007 on. This is not essential for our security, especially since we´re surrounded from neutrals or NATO-partners. But it´s nice to have the cooperation between our countries - for you, it means a strategic important place for troops supply (hospital Landstuhl, NATO AFB Ramstein).



65 posted on 01/12/2006 2:16:46 PM PST by Michael81Dus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

Comment #66 Removed by Moderator

To: Michael81Dus
especially since we´re surrounded from neutrals or NATO-partners

Good fences make the best neighbors. A lesson you in Germany need to remember. :o)

67 posted on 01/12/2006 2:18:24 PM PST by StarCMC (Old Sarge is my hero...doing it right in Iraq! Vaya con Dios, Sarge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: TASMANIANRED

So, when they´re captured on the battlefield, bearing their arms openly, and insignia to be identified as an enemy - they´re POW, aren´t they? What makes them unlawful? If they were captured with plans for terrorist attacks in Kabul or New York, they´re terrorists (=criminals).


68 posted on 01/12/2006 2:18:36 PM PST by Michael81Dus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: Michael81Dus
Ah, thank you for reminding me. I wonder if perhaps a referendum in Germany might take place after all...

If you do end up personally dropping a bomb on Mr. Ahmadinejad would you be so kind as to chalk "Love And Kisses From Billthedrill" on it? Thanks in advance... ;-)

69 posted on 01/12/2006 2:18:46 PM PST by Billthedrill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Michael81Dus

I am curious will Germany or any European country offer to take over custiody of the Gitmo terrorists? Does Europe have any suggestions on what we should do with the Gitmo prisoners or are they just upset at our solution without having any ideas of their own?


70 posted on 01/12/2006 2:19:40 PM PST by MNJohnnie (Resistance is futile. We are the Freepers. You will be assimilated)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Michael81Dus

"What makes them unlawful?"

Terrorists are not a national army, but international thugs with no allegiance.
They are the same as spies.
They have no government.
They are terrorists, period.
Hence, unlawful combatants.
Not that it hasn't already been said to you a couple times.


71 posted on 01/12/2006 2:20:39 PM PST by Darksheare (Beware the waddling Penguin Invaders from Ursa Minor!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: Michael81Dus

Terrorist may equal criminal in the German language, but not in English. You need to work on that.


72 posted on 01/12/2006 2:21:28 PM PST by StarCMC (Old Sarge is my hero...doing it right in Iraq! Vaya con Dios, Sarge.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: Michael81Dus; MNJohnnie; RockinRight
Germany paid a high sum for your troop presence

The Germans love, and profit from, our bases there. But, not to worry, they're moving out anyway. What "high sum" are you referring to.

It´s also a common theme in the US to say that you won the cold war alone. That isn´t true, it was our all victory.

Well, congratulations!

BTW, you are being treated very nicely --- TOO NICELY, in my opinion -- as a european coming onto a conservative U.S. forum and making a highly inflammatory comment such as this:

Gitmo is dirt on the white vest of the US.

Therefore, you are euro-trash in my estimation and have no place in OUR forum.

73 posted on 01/12/2006 2:21:29 PM PST by La Enchiladita (God bless our Troops)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: GodBlessUSA

We don´t care about terrorists, we care about our laws and innocents. 38 prisoners were released from Gitmo as innocents. That´s what you should care about, too. One German citizen (El Masri) was brought to Kabul by the CIA, interrogated and released after 4 months. Well, he is an Arab. But he is innocent. Not a fair treatment, wouldn´t you agree?


74 posted on 01/12/2006 2:21:31 PM PST by Michael81Dus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: Blue State Insurgent

Easy there, big guy...I don't think if you knew Michael any better you'd have said that. Trust me on that one.


75 posted on 01/12/2006 2:21:58 PM PST by Billthedrill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Michael81Dus

No, terrorists do not equal crimnals.
A criminal is in his game for personal gain of one kind or another.
Terrorists exist to kill you, kill me, kill anyone who doesn't fit their ideas of what should be.
That is it.
They aren't in it for personal gain.
They only want to kill.


76 posted on 01/12/2006 2:22:34 PM PST by Darksheare (Beware the waddling Penguin Invaders from Ursa Minor!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: LUV W
Isn't it sad. It is beyond my comprehension how people do not understand the nature of this beast. This type of blind ignorance is only enabling the terrorists.

They sit back making judgments of USA. And, yep, if another country has a terrorist attack take place, the country will be running right to the USA to defend and protect them. And then how soon after, they will forget the USA Men and Woman who make the sacrifice to defend them.

77 posted on 01/12/2006 2:23:23 PM PST by GodBlessUSA (US Troops, Past, Present and Future, God Bless You and Thank You! Prayers said for our Heroes!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: Michael81Dus

It is obvious from your government's postering on Gitmo and Irag and your comments here that you do not care about terrorists.


78 posted on 01/12/2006 2:23:27 PM PST by Reagan Disciple (Peace through Strength)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: MNJohnnie

We have a crime called "membership in a terrorist organization" (no matter if foreign or domestic). Today, the first charged was convicted for that, although he claimed to be innocent. 7 years imprisonment. For our standards, a good fine.

That´s exactly the main difference. We call terrorists criminals. You treat them (and the suspects) somewhat "special".


79 posted on 01/12/2006 2:24:59 PM PST by Michael81Dus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: Billthedrill
Do you agree with your euro-pal Michael that "Gitmo is dirt on the white vest of the US." ?

Hmmmm....?

80 posted on 01/12/2006 2:25:23 PM PST by La Enchiladita (God bless our Troops)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 261-279 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson