Dr. Merkel: Schröder Doesn't Speak for All Germans

The Washington Post ^ | Feb 20 2003 | Dr. Angela Merkel (CDU)

[Michael81Dus]

By Angela Merkel, Chairman of Germanys largest opposition party - the CDU

Rarely do we have the experience of witnessing firsthand the end of one epoch and the beginning of another. But this is exactly what people all over the world are now living through. This epochal change began with the fall of the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989, which marked a victory for freedom and the opening of the transatlantic partnership to the East. It continued with the events of Sept. 11, 2001, which shook the United States to its very foundations -- with consequences that, to this day, many Europeans have not fully grasped. Because of these decisive events, Europe and the United States now must redefine the nucleus of their domestic, foreign and security policy principles.

Europe is, on the one hand, assuming new responsibilities around the world, ...

Click the link above for full article http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32835-2003Feb19.html

[Michael81Dus]

"I am convinced that Europe and the United States will have to opt for a common security alliance in the future, just as they did in the past."

I´m convinced, too. The commentary of Dr. Merkel is good to read, I think and not very long.

[Sparta]

1) Glad you know the rules about posting Washington Post articles. :)
2) Good article. Never doubted the fact that Comrade Schroder doesn't speak for all Germans.

[Michael81Dus]

ad 1) - I had some problems to post it, but now it seems to work! Washington Post is a more conservative paper, isn´t it? Unlike e.g. NY Times...

[Sparta]

The Washington Post is only slightly more conservative than the NY Times. The Washington Post is the liberal paper in Washington. The conservative paper in Washington is the Washington Times.

http://www.washtimes.com

[ken5050]

It's also interesting that this was published in the WP and NOT the NY Times....hmm, curious eh....the Times got scooped when the WSJ got the original letter, and you wonder if this is a fit of piques that the Times bought the IHT...

[tictoc]

Bump to the top!

[katana]

On most issues the Washington Post is as liberal as the NY Times (it would be hard to find any US paper that is more left wing). On the question of Iraq, however, they have been consistently on the side of disarming and overthrowing the regime there. This has been their editorial point of view since at least 1998 and it hasn't changed since Bush came into office.

[CatoRenasci]

Good article. Bump.

The Washington Post is less left-wing than The New York Times, but still a liberal paper that has for the past 40+ years supported the Democratic Party. The Post was intensely hostile to Goldwater, Nixon, Ford and Ronald Reagan. Less openly so with G.H.W. Bush, but supported Democrats against him. The Post toyed with opposition to Clinton, but never got its feet wet, so to speak. Only since 9/11 has the Post been more pro-American and more 'conservative.' Interesting to see if it will last. I have known membersof the Graham family who owns the Post, and I don't think the paper will stay right after the war.

[AlaskaErik]

I am convinced that Europe and the United States will have to opt for a common security alliance in the future, just as they did in the past. The United States is the only remaining superpower, but even so it will have to rely on dependable partners over the long term.

With "friends" like France and Germany we sure as hell don't need any enemies. But, unfortunately, we do have enemies. If necessary, we'll go it alone. I don't see what Europe can contribute. They have no intestinal fortitude, and even if they did, they have no real military capability. They would be more of a hinderance than of help.

[Paradox]

Anyone who rejects military action as a last resort weakens the pressure that needs to be maintained on dictators and consequently makes a war not less but more likely.

They are not ALL Euroweenies. There are many who are right minded. Too bad that snobbish euroelite that gets so much play in their media, tends to effect public opinion so much.

[tictoc]

Europe can contribute a great deal in the War on Terror. For example, in police work and intelligence gathering.

If you talk to law enforcement professionals, I am certain that you will find relations to be very good, much better than with European politicians.

American troops have been training for an Iraqi invasion in Hungary for the past months. Dutch soldiers will defend Turkey against Iraqi attacks.

German bio/chem warfare units are posted alongside U.S. forces in Kuwait, and a fairly large German contingent is operating in Afghanistan, the duplicitous and dishonest policy of chancellor Schroeder notwithstanding.

It is true that Europe is not pulling its own weight militarily, and this is unlikely to get better soon due to bloated welfare-state spending.

However, their contributions should not be discounted entirely, and hopefully will increase in the mid-future.

[Michael81Dus]

Thank you for these interesting insights.

[Michael81Dus]

Our troops need money!! But our special troops and those who are deployed to the foreign (Balkans, Afghanistan, Somalia) get whatever they need. The contributions to these missions are much appreciated by the US administration.

[Michael81Dus]

Agreed. Too bad that people are so naive about dictatorships and how to disarm them.

[longjack]

Have you seen this "Spiegel" hit piece?

"Speigel Online"..Merkels Bückling vor Bush

Tictoc: how would you translate the "liebedienerischen" comment from Volker Beck (5th paragraph, last sentance)? It looks like she rubbed the SPD and the Greens the wrong way.

longjack

[Godel]

I have a friend who lives in Germany and is very conservative and votes CDU. It's a shame they weren't able to defeat Schroeder last election. The world would be a much better place.

[tictoc]

Yo, longjack!

Already translated ("Merkel's Prostration Before Bush")