Posted on 06/26/2008 2:27:33 PM PDT by Cecily
Germany has been commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Berlin airlift, when the Western allies kept the city supplied despite a Soviet blockade.
Veterans of the airlift, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s, attended ceremonies in Berlin and Frankfurt.
The American and British-led airlift lasted for more than a year, and involved planes delivering everything from coal to sweets.
It was one of the biggest humanitarian air relief missions in history.
"I find the courage with which this operation was carried out truly admirable," said German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung.
A small group of veteran airmen visited the Allied Museum and Tempelhof airport, which served as the hub of the Berlin airlift, to pay tribute to the pilots who lost their lives during the operation.
The veterans also met schoolchildren in Berlin, as part of the day of remembrance.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Good... do they remember those Pershing missiles they(and John Kerry) protested against that led to the destruction of the Berlin Wall?
Europe should be collectively ashamed of itself. Right now it's a busy as it can be destroying freedom and representative governance.
Oh yes, I forgot. They now want control of the Internet. They act like impudent children.
This time, I say let them fall in on themselves and destroy each other. We can sit it out.
Friggin Eurotwits, wth are they good for! We need to cut all of our forces and let them provide for their own defence!
The German nationals I've met over the years were a laugh-less, condescending people. However... they seemed to enjoy the bad fortune of others(schadenfreude?).
I remember it too, but you don’t see them writing a news story about ME.
In some ways I agree. In others I question that approach.
We can withdraw for these areas, but if we do is it a good thing to not have a presence in these nations?
If you wish to affect world policy, is it a good idea to withdraw from locations around it?
That’s an interesting take. I appreciate the comments.
As I've said for years, this time Germany gets to KEEP France!
France is the Eddy Haskel of nations. Every once in a while it needs a good stiff slap upside the head. Then it’s okay for a decade or so.
It’s time for the USA to abandon all military bases in Germany, except for the major hospital over there
I’m certain there are a lot of people who agree. I have mixed thoughts on it. Thanks for the response.
I don't see my comments as an anti-German “rant”... they are honest observations.
'bout as honest as Republicans calling McStain a conservative.
I have been underimpressed by European support for the United States efforts against terrorism. The negative comments coming out of France and Germany have caused me to have to rethink my respect for them.
Are our nation’s friends? There are times when I wonder. It may be a mistaken premise of mine, but I don’t see the same support for what were are doing for Iraq, that our nation supplied during the Second World War or the airlift for Germany. And I’ll be quite frank about it, even folks in the United States are guilty of this.
I somethings think there is very little respect for the United States and what it tries to do. Very few people thought we shouldn’t help liberate Europe. Many people think it’s a waste of time to liberate Iraq. And if it comes to having to enter Iran to stop them from developing nuclear weapons and using them, there is almost no support whatsoever.
What has happened to Europe? It would rather sit there and carp about Iran than do something about it. And sentiment across the continent doesn’t seem particularly supportive of the U.S. despite it’s efforts on Europe’s behalf.
You may not understand me, but I have one hell of a hard time understand you too.
When I read this article it seemed like the attention to this event in history had been minor. If that perception is untrue, then I owe you an appology on the matter. If the perception was somewhat true, then I don’t. And either way, I am sick and tired of the U.S. having to move world opinion in order to neutralize today’s threats to world peace.
Color me one U.S. citizen who has had it up to here with luck warm support from it’s suppsed allies.
That's fine with me. However, when a positive story gets posted about Germans celebrating a good thing the US did for Germany in the past, I don't understand why there is the need to make negative comment about Germans.
Okay, I’ll offer up my appology for doing so. I am sorry that I took your fellow citizens and government to task on matters unrelated to this celebration. To be honest, I read the thing as if not that many people participated in the rememberance, and that ticked me off a bit. I believe that to have been a mistaken impression, so I do think you have a legitimate beef with me.
I’d like to ask you a question. This is unrelated, and if you don’t want to address it after my prior comments, that’s okay.
Why are Europeans so willing to surrender national identity to become a European Union? It seems to me you folks are giving up representative governance to usher this in. It beats anything I’ve ever seen. I don’t understand it at all.
Thanks in advance, but it’s okay if you don’t wish to respond.
Thank you, apology accepted. As far as, Why are Europeans so willing to surrender national identity to become a European Union?. As far as I can understand, the idea of relaxed borders began as a good idea. However, any good idea can be corrupted if the wrong people get in power and I think that's what is happening now. By-the-way, isn't there talk about a North American Union? Canada, Mexico and the USA all becoming border less. In fact, does Bush defend the USA southern border now? Why are there so many signs in English and spanish? So, I turn your question back to you, Why are American politicians so willing to surrender the USA's national identity?
Don't get me wrong. I'm on your side on this issue.
I have never seen open borders to be anything other than a threat to a nation’s sovereignty. I agree with your comments about our southern border, and the politicians who support it.
This is one of the major reasons I will not be voting for John McCain.
I want the right in the U.S. to oppose such measures with all their might. If McCain proposes it, many on the right will back the effort out of mistaken party loyalty.
I agree that a North American Union and even an AU is on the table in the short term. I think McCain will sign on to both of these ideas and I am dead set against them.
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