She is Chancellor of Germany, not of the US. You´re also talking about the war in Chechnya or the executions of religious people in China, not to speak of Irans nuclear program. Foreign policy is an issue, especially for heads of governments. The Frau Bundeskanzlerin was asked by a German magazine, and she answered. She wasn´t interviewed in the US TV or addressing the American people. Are foreign states(wo)men not allowed to speak to their people without permission from you? I don´t think that Bush or Rice have problems with that.
Another example of what Steyn called focusing on secondary issues, as if war is all about prisoners. Give me a break! They are lucky they were not shot on the battlefield.
What would the Chancellor of Germany suggest we do with those incarcerated at Gitmo? It's easy to say, 'Close Guantanamo, the world has a problem with the US keeping prisoners there.' But perhaps she was more detailed in her answer and it just didn't make Der Speigel? We have no complaint about her talking to anyone and saying whatever she wishes, but most EU leaders prefer to badmouth the US and GW rather than suggesting practical, sensible alternatives. (The UN isn't practical or sensible.) Should we ask Germany to jail them for whatever length of time they deem appropriate, then set them free to roam the EU at will?
To be fair to Merkel, her response was very diplomatic and I liked her use of "long term".