Free Republic

Germany should take over the historically American role of Nato Europe commander, Donald Trump’s envoy to the Western alliance has suggested. Matthew Whitaker, the US ambassador to Nato, said he hoped Germany would one day volunteer for the prestigious role of Supreme Allied Commander Europe. He told the Berlin Security Conference: “I look forward to the day when Germany comes to the United States and says that we’re ready to take over the Supreme Allied Commander position. I think we’re a long way away from that, but I look forward to those discussions.” Since Nato was founded in 1949, the...

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz took an opportunity on the campaign trail Tuesday to criticize Elon Musk, telling CNN that the US billionaire “is intervening in favor of right-wing politicians all over Europe. And this is really disgusting”. Ahead of Germany’s February election, Musk has been controversially inserting himself into the German election campaign in favor of the far-right party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Speaking to CNN, as he came off stage after an hour’s talk with voters in Berlin, the Chancellor said, “I disagree completely with Elon Musk and what he is doing.” He explained as a political leader...

Residents express anger at Angela Merkel’s open border policy.. Some have expressed anger at former German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open border migrant policy after a Syrian national was arrested for the murder of a teenage girl whose body was found at a sewage treatment plant. 17-year-old Tabitha E. left an apartment in Asperg, southern Germany, on Tuesday afternoon last week, but the alarm was raised after she didn’t return home that evening. After an extensive police search, the girl’s body was found on Sunday at the Leudelsbach sewage treatment plant. After the home of a suspect was search and investigators...

BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz turned down an invite at short notice from U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss the Ukraine crisis, German magazine Der Spiegel said on Friday. Scholz did not accept the invitation due to a full schedule, including a trip to Madrid, as well as the desire to show that he was present as Germany grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Der Spiegel. A government spokesman declined to comment on the report. Both sides hoped now to organize a meeting by mid-February.

Of all the lies that Edward Snowden has told since his massive theft of secrets from the National Security Agency and his journey to Russia via Hong Kong in 2013, none is more provocative than the claim that he never intended to engage in espionage, and was only a “whistleblower” seeking to expose the overreach of NSA’s information gathering. With the clock ticking on Mr. Snowden’s chance of a pardon, now is a good time to review what we have learned about his real mission.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she does not oppose U.S. plans for an anti-missile shield to counter any future attack by Iran. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday she does not oppose U.S. plans for an anti-missile shield to counter any future attack by Iran, a project that has strained ties between Russia and the West. "I am not against Mr Putin but also not against the idea," Merkel said at a semi-annual news conference in response to a question about the U.S. shield plan. "I have always said that one cannot say there's no threat coming from Iran."...

We were embarrassed by the behavior of the president of the United States at the G-8 Summit this week. First, a little background. When Bill Clinton served in the White House, this newspaper was offended by his personal weaknesses. One Editorial Board member wrote: "Bill Clinton has proved himself a liar, an adulterer, a cad and a failed feminist. He is no candidate for boss of the year." While we agreed with Clinton on policy, we thought, at least, George W. Bush's personal actions would, as he himself put it, "bring honor and dignity back to the White House." That's...