Another Triumph for German Diplomacy

Take note, Texan cowboy in the White House: here's an example of nuanced German style diplomacy.

German diplomats don't shoot from the hip - they talk even to hard core dictators, such as Syria's Assad. And Germany's foreign minister Steinmeier didn't mince his words:

"I call on Syria to desist from all actions that could contribute directly or indirectly to the destabilization of the situation," he said before boarding his return flight from Damascus to Germany: "If you follow this path, you will have a partner in Germany."

Hey, Germany's carrot and stick approach has worked before! Remember Steinmeier predecessor Joschka Fischer's sensational diplomatic success in the case of Iran's nuclear ambitions?

Here we go again. The results of Steinmeiers's Syrian talks so far are truly encouraging:

Nil. Zero. Nought.

Steinmeier himself is unable to present any meaningful reaction of Assad to his proposals. Reporting in the Syrian media is somewhat sparse.

Anyway, as I said, Steinmeier talked to Assad.

Comments

[Scott_H]

First, a gaggle of US(eless) Democrats. Now Steinmayer. Before you know it, Assad's going to get a big head and think he actually matters.

[Mike H.]

Scott H, Assad does matter, he's a placeholder between Lebanon and Turkey. That's an important position.

[2020]

America has completely run out of options in the Middle East. Iran is closer to the revival of the shiite crescent than ever before, develops nuclear weapons, supports terrorists and happily approves the shiite armed forces in Iraq America's crazy has created.

Is it really in America's interest nobody talks to Syria? The revival of the Shiite Crescent in the Middle East could be casus belli for a real big war. The new Iraqi Army is already dominated by shiites from day one, as is the Iraqi government and the police. Perfect conditions for an [i]Anschluss[/i] to Iran and a true axis of Teheran-Bagdad-Damascus.

Colin Powell on Iraq: The US-Army is "about broken", not large enough, "losing" but had not yet lost.

In other words: The US-Army in Iraq isn't the carrot, but the rubber stick. Arrogance cannot hide that, as you cannot by-pass your time ticking away.

Europe can do a lot of things America can't. That's why we are worth to be an ally. Sitzen machen!

[Mir]

>> Europe can do a lot of things America can't.

Such as? Supporting the enemies of the free world, hoping they will then hate us less than those "arrogant" Americans?

>> That's why we are worth to be an ally.

It's funny how Old Europeans often seem to feel the need to convince themselves that they still matter. Maybe they instinctively do feel that their Anti-Americanism is no compensation for their lack of constructive approaches towards threats the whole western civilisation is facing.

[Scott_H]

@2020, you're not a student of history, are you?

"America has completely run out of options in the Middle East."

Um, not quite. I don't think anyone believes that -- certainly, not the Iranians. We've still got quite a few Aces up our sleeve (because, unlike others, we haven't taken any off the table, so to speak) -- and giving the Golan Heights back to the chinless Ophthalmologist isn't one of them. It might serve you well to go back and read up on Middle East history in, oh, say about 1982 or so. (Btw, you want arrogant, the idea that someone is going to *make* Israel give back the Golan Heights is the epitome of arrogance).

"Iran is closer to the revival of the shiite crescent than ever before..."

Oh really? This is nothing new. Again, I'd suggest you go back and re-read your Middle East history. You can go back 20 or 30 years, or you can go back 1000 years. Es ist egal.

"...develops nuclear weapons..."

Hehe. Four words: Not. On. Our. Watch. (Btw, I hope this isn't one of the examples you're thinking of when you say, "Europe can do a lot of things America can't." I think most agree -- even the Euros -- that the European diplomatic effort on this front has been a complete failure to this point, one that succeeded only in giving Iran more time to push its nuclear program forward).

"...supports terrorists..."

Na, und? This is news? They were doing this long before you and I came along.

Other than "you guys suck...we're better than you," what's your point? Like the song says, "we didn't start the fire..." Ever heard of colonialism? If you want to point your finger at the bad guy, you might start by looking in the mirror.

[Pamela]

@2020
Europe can do a lot of things America can't. That's why we are worth to be an ally

snort

Big hat, no cattle

[americanbychoice]

"Europe can do many things America can't"

Thanks Pamela,You are correct.
Can we start alist of things they can do, sarcasm permitted?

1) They can tax their citizens out of existance.
2) They can brag (Weltmeister in everything" just to make themselves feel good).
3) They can regulate the hell out of everything.
4) They believe that they are the only ones to want Peace on Earth, unlike those stupid Americans.
5) They feel that they need to dominate the world and if America doesn't listen to them, we are just uncultured, unsophisticated losers.
6) They believe that Corruption is Diplomacy.
7) You can add a few......................my fingers are tired. I am old, cranky, retired (something that is unimaginable to Germans about the US, I should be working two jobs to make ends meet)

[Pamela]

thanks americanbychoice, I think I will

- commit demographic suicide

- develop ANOTHER totalitarian formulation as the EU

[americanbychoice]

9) Selling their soul for trade with Iran, even though it will bite them in the Ass.

[joe]

This is all feel good stuff for the Germans. Makes them feel important...as a player.

Note how they have once again reved up their goal of a seat on the UNSC...

Now we are going for the big time...

Put a dagger in NATO and one in the EU....moving on up ... as George Jefferson might say.

[Pamela]

2020, this is for you.
Individuals can death-watch the end of the European era. It is probably the most important – and least publicized – event of our time.

The German author Henryk Broder recently told a Dutch newspaper that young Europeans who love freedom must emigrate, because the Europe they knew will no longer exist in 20 years. Demographics trends show Europe is becoming Muslim, which will have profound political and social consequences as the Enlightenment finally dims.

Many Europeans are taking Mr. Broder’s advice. In 2004, for the first time in history, more Germans left their country than immigrants moved in. More than 145,000 Germans exited, most for the United States. In 2003, more than 110,000 people (mostly Dutch natives) left the Netherlands while 90,000 (mostly Muslims) moved in. In the first half of 2004, more than 53,000 moved out. An exodus of more than 100,000 people a year is a lot in a nation of just 16 million. It is, as sociologists like to say, a trend.

Many of the immigrants moving to Europe do not like Europeans. In Scandinavian countries, crime rates are soaring. In Norway, rapes are up a sickening 40 percent since the year 2000. Two-thirds of the sexual assailants are Muslim immigrants. Many immigrants to Europe do not consider themselves as citizens, but enemies to their respective nations.

According to writer Paul Bekien of the Brussels Journal – who catalogued some of these figures – the European decline also explains the anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism in Europe. America and Israel will fight for freedom. Too many Europeans will submit to tyranny.

"This is why (many Europeans) have come to hate Israel and Americans so much, and the small band of European "islamphobes" who dare talk about what they see happening around them. West Europeans have to choose between submission (Islam) and death. I fear, like Broder, they have chosen submission – just like in former days when they preferred to be red rather than dead," he wrote.

(h/t WriterMom, LGF)

[Paul]

Ah, I get it... The guy calls himself "2020" because by the year 2020 the Europeans will have adopted shari'ah law instead of a democratic constitution.

[Davod]

Lets not get to upset. He said what exactly what he sould have said. Very plain.

If there is no response then it is not his fault.

[Pamela]

I just realized there is a typo in the article I linked to.

Paul Bekien
should be
Paul Belien

Here is the BrusselsJournal piece referred to.

The Rape of Europe

[Pamela]

@Davod
Lets not get to upset. He said what exactly what he sould have said. Very plain.

If there is no response then it is not his fault.

This is the kind of pompous bullshit that makes my teeth itch.

Europe talks. It actually does nothing.

EUnichs at a gang-bang.

[Grimmy]

The EUnics want so badly to be "opposed" to the US in all things and all ways. I say we start treating them as the enemy they so desperately want to be.

[Paul]

@Davod

"Lets not get to upset. He said what exactly what he sould have said. Very plain."

A difficulty is that 2020's English is not all that good. "America's crazy has created"? What, exactly, does that mean? "America's craziness" ("Verrücktheit") or even "America's crazy man" (i.e. Bush, "der Verrückte")?

An even greater difficulty is the insulting, condescending tone. The responses here to 2020's comments shouldn't surprise you.

[joe]

Grimmy,

We could start by unwinding NATO.

[sheik yer'mami]

Interesting blog!

Sheik Yer'mami sends his regards from Down-under: Is it really that bad in Germany?

Some links to cheer you up!

http://sheikyermami.com/2006/12/19/zarqawi/

http://sheikyermami.com/2006/12/19/my-allah-is-better/