Germany

[walruskkkch]

If you are being told you are doing the same thing as Hitler how is that not meant to mean you are like him? Why mention Hitler at all unless your attempt was to connect the two? It's only because of the political heat that she is backtracking, first trying to say she was misquoted and then saying she was misinterpreted.

[Bereta_Eder]

Germans have become antiamerican to larger extend than in thepast.

Maybenot antiamerican in the french or greek way of viweing things but certainly they are more disgusted by the foreign policy of the US. It amounts to the same thing, practically.

[Bereta_Eder]

It only took a mention that Geermany will not follow the US in order for the germans to choose Schreder in a time when he was losing big time.

That says something, of course.

[Kropotkin]

If you read the article you would understand this isn't about the holocaust paikitis.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by walruskkkch
If you are being told you are doing the same thing as Hitler how is that not meant to mean you are like him? Why mention Hitler at all unless your attempt was to connect the two? It's only because of the political heat that she is backtracking, first trying to say she was misquoted and then saying she was misinterpreted.

Maybe she only tries to avoid the criticism now. Of course if she said this, it would be absolutely idiotic. However, its election time here, and there is everything possible...

[walruskkkch]

That's why it's not really a big deal, just embarassing for the moment. I don't doubt that she does feel that way about Bush. I doubt it was a simple rhetorical comment. It was meant to be insulting and it would be nice if she stood by her statement. It would show more of backbone than the rest of the German government has shown so far in fighting terrorism. But then again they have some close ties of their own with Iraq so it's not unsurprising they are reluctant to do anything.

[Kontiki]

Originally posted by walruskkkch
If you are being told you are doing the same thing as Hitler how is that not meant to mean you are like him? Why mention Hitler at all unless your attempt was to connect the two? It's only because of the political heat that she is backtracking, first trying to say she was misquoted and then saying she was misinterpreted.

Hitler also started the construction of the autobahns in Germany. Clearly, any politician who favors highway building is exactly like Hitler. As for why Hitler would be mentioned, it's simply a convenient and easily recognizable example. Can you think of a better one off the top of your head where a leader blatantly used militarism and threats of war to draw attention away from a terrible domestic situation? Now, before people jump down my throat, I'm NOT comparing the situation in the US to that of Weimar Germany, nor am I condoning exactly what she said (although, niether am I condemning it). I'm merely showing how her comments make sense for the point SHE was trying to make.

Why do so many Americans (not all) have to equate any negative statement made against their country as "US is evil, every American is evil, all must die"? Try taking things in context for once.

[Chris 62]

Oh well, no German support.

Thems the breaks.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by walruskkkch
That's why it's not really a big deal, just embarassing for the moment. I don't doubt that she does feel that way about Bush. I doubt it was a simple rhetorical comment. It was meant to be insulting and it would be nice if she stood by her statement. It would show more of backbone than the rest of the German government has shown so far in fighting terrorism. But then again they have some close ties of their own with Iraq so it's not unsurprising they are reluctant to do anything.

I think the current government has no problem with fighting terrorism, and supporting the US here. But when it comes to fighting against Iraq, that is a different thing, and different opinions about political questions do not mean anti-americanism...

[walruskkkch]

Originally posted by Kontiki



Hitler also started the construction of the autobahns in Germany. Clearly, any politician who favors highway building is exactly like Hitler. As for why Hitler would be mentioned, it's simply a convenient and easily recognizable example. Can you think of a better one off the top of your head where a leader blatantly used militarism and threats of war to draw attention away from a terrible domestic situation? Now, before people jump down my throat, I'm NOT comparing the situation in the US to that of Weimar Germany, nor am I condoning exactly what she said (although, niether am I condemning it). I'm merely showing how her comments make sense for the point SHE was trying to make.

Why do so many Americans (not all) have to equate any negative statement made against their country as "US is evil, every American is evil, all must die"? Try taking things in context for once.

Bill Clinton?

Seriously though. When government officials make those comments then it is not out of the question for a government spokeman to ask for clarification.

[Kropotkin]

this kind of scandals are just perfect. It's the perfect opportunity for both journalists and politicians alike to avoid the real political issues that don't sell newspapers or gain votes.

[Dom Pedro II]

Hah! I knew those Germans were just waiting for another shot at us! This means WAR!

Seriously though, I thought the world was at the point where the power was in the hands of enough people that the personal slight of one leader against another wasn't going to determine policy....

[GePap]

Ho my god, th Germans don't agree witht the Bush Iraq policy, so a 50 year relation is over! What a load of Crap!

Assuming that Bush is still president by 2005 (Hope not, hope not), both sides still have overwhelming similarities in various aims that will mean a strong relation- and of course, if the Iraq adventure goes wrong, the Germans will be able to glow and Bush will have to eat crow- even if it goes well, the relation will live on.

Why do people act like such idiots? Long term relations are not broken due to disagreements of administrations over single issues- the fact that anyone is thinking so shows that we have lost perspective on the Iraq issue, and are hurtling down too fast towards war. The German people generally oppose it, so german politicians are making it an issue- wow, what a shock- i though democratically elected officials were supposed to act accoprding to botht ehir convictions and public feelings: guess Schroeder decided not to pull a Blair.

[Adam Smith]

"On the existential questions that decide German politics," Mr. Schroeder preached at one of his campaign rallies, "the decisions are made in Berlin -- in Berlin and nowhere else." If such rhetoric wins him reelection, Mr. Schroeder is likely to find that future démarches by his government about decisions made exclusively in Washington will have little credibility --

Washington Post Editorial, September 17

[Adalbertus]

To make it a bit clearer why Germany will not participate in an attack on Iraq, I'll give two excerpts of our constitution:

Artikel 26
(1) Handlungen, die geeignet sind und in der Absicht vorgenommen werden, das friedliche Zusammenleben der Völker zu stören, insbesondere die Führung eines Angriffskrieges vorzubereiten, sind verfassungswidrig. Sie sind unter Strafe zu stellen.

Acts which are suitable to and are undertaken in the intent to disturb the peaceful cohabitation of the peoples, especially to prepare an aggressive war, are against the constitution. They have to be punished.

Artikel 115a
(1) Die Feststellung, daß das Bundesgebiet mit Waffengewalt angegriffen wird oder ein solcher Angriff
unmittelbar droht (Verteidigungsfall), trifft der Bundestag mit Zustimmung des Bundesrates.

The establishment that the federal territory is attacked by an armed force, or that such an attack is immediately expected (event of defense, has to be made by the Bundestag with acknowledgement of the Bundesrat.

Regulations follow what happens if there is no time for an appropriate action, but what I want to point out is that "defensive war" is quite well described in the constitution.
I should add that these laws very probably date back to 1949 when the Americans had a wary eye on what happened in Germany.

About the minister: If she really said this it was plainly stupid. There are enough other examples for making war to distract from domestic problems; the French Revolutionary wars for example