Yes, I hope both German and the USA come away with a better understanding of both sides position. However, if Freeprs come a cross a little harsh, you need to understand OUR viewpoint, not just demand we understand Europe's.. We are upset because people who are not putting up any money or blood to fight the Islamic terrorists always start out by lecturing the USA on how it should fight that war. After bearing the vast bulk of the cost to defend Europe for 50 years, we get tired of being lectured much better Europe is then the USA. That is a common theme among Europeans these days.
We get a little tired of being told by people hiding behind our shield what our policy has to be. Asia understand this war, the EU seems unable to.
GITMO is a prison that NO ONE in the EU has any right to sneer at. The treatment there is completely in accordance with accepted international rules. What you have heard is a LOT of European Left wing political groups MAKING accusations that are completely unsubstated by fact. In fact, Terrorist training manuals captured in Afghanistan and Iraq TELL terrorists to make accusations of torture because they KNOW various American and European groups will fall all over themselves defending the terrorist then. An accusation is NOT proof, something Europeans would be wise to remember. Under International Law the terrorists are Unlawful Combatants, not Prisoners of War. We would be perfectly following International Law to execute them. Instead they are given pray rugs, told the time and direct to pray, religious materials and 3 meals a day in keeping with their dietary restrictions. Europe faces an awful lot of burdens in integrating Eastern Europe into a joint system. Frankly, Europe could be a big help by taking over ALL of the Balkans missions we currently perform. Maybe Europe should focus on Europe and leave US to take care of our own affairs. Maybe NATO has outlived it usefulness and should be replaced with a purely EU centered organization?
That was very well stated and needed to be said.
Can't argue with that.
You raise several points, and I´m not sure whether this really has something to do Merkel and Bush will address. However, the burden during the cold war was shared. Germany paid a high sum for your troop presence, and we also maintained half a million soldiers. 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.
I´m not accusing the treatment of the prisoners, but the lack of trials, judicial control. 38 inmates were innocent and released after years! There is no such thing as "unlawful combatant". Either you´re a combatant, a non-combatant (like priests, medicals) or a civilian (= e.g. a terrorist). Treat the captured Taliban as POW if they have the right to that, and the rest as civilians (= try them!).
I don´t think that NATO has outlived. We should still promise to defend the other, as we did for instance in 2001 when we fought the Taliban.
Well said.