[Michael81Dus]

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.

[La Enchiladita]

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.

[TASMANIANRED]

Great numbers of errors of judgment on those released.

Several have in turn been killed after jumping back into the fracas.

Try reading the Geneva Convention. Applies only to soldiers in uniform. There is a reason for that. Soldiers in uniform are wearing a target.

They also make war on civilians. They also booby trap the wounded.

How can you demand they be treated with the dignity that the Geneva convention requires when they delight in violating every precept of it.

Treaties require that both sides observe it. You want the US to abide by the restraints while the terrorists bomb schoolchildren.

Moral equivalence is only for Sophomores and socialists.

[mylife]

In order for the Taliban and Al Queda to be treated under geneva convention rules, they have to play my the rules.

Hiding under the guise of civilians and using women and children as agents of death, Targeting innocents intentionally and hoping for the most casualies you can inflict upon them makes them unlawful combatants, and they will be delt with as such by our military.

It is unfortunate that innocent civilians are swept up BECAUSE of Al Quedas refusal to follow the guidlines of the geneva convention.
But as you said, those innocents were released.
As to the matter of time they served while innocent? I lay that at Al Quedas feet.

Im glad Merkel won the election and I hope that we strengthen ties with Germany as well.
I dont wish to be offensive when I say, THe entire continent could use a dose of conservatism.