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There is a debate going on in Germany about the German reaction to Katrina. The critique goes: "Yes, Chancellor Schröder has sent his condolences, and the German Red Cross has offered help. But there have also been appalling reactions by government members who are blatantly playing the anti-Bush card for votes."

They mean Minister of the Environment Jürgen Trittin who published an article in the Frankfurter Rundschau, criticising President Bush without finding a single word of compassion and condolence. Trittin's most disputed comment:

The American president closes his eyes before the economic and humanitarian damage inflicted by natural disasters like Katrina, and that means he closes his eyes before neglected climate protection.


But you know what? - He is right! The problem is: How can we, from a position outside the U.S., point to the political/environmental issue without getting accused of cheaply exploiting anti-American sentiments?
by Saturday (geckes(at)gmx.net) on Thu Sep 1st, 2005 at 03:26:08 PM EST
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Read, for example, Der Spiegel with a harsh and (IMO) unjustified attack on Trittin.
by Saturday (geckes(at)gmx.net) on Thu Sep 1st, 2005 at 03:32:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]
They seem to have removed the entry you linked to, it now shows a link to Aid Organisations, but there is also this:

Binge Hate from the American right. Who cannot listen, and shouts straight back. Some excerpts:

" The sacrifices the American People made for the German People during the long years of Comunist threat is now forgotten and is replace by a contempt for the people who helped them."

"That and their own callousness toward any human being that differed from their own Nazi politics. Shame on the German people, they should know better by now. But I guess once a dumb head, always a dumb head. I would like to have cursed you all out,but as a 62 yr. old lady, I will just leave it as the above."

"This article displays the sort of compassion that I would expect from a country that's started 2 world wars, sold weapons to iraq for oil, side-stepping UN sanctions, then has the gall to take a self-exalted moral high ground."...

"This article displays the sort of compassion that I would expect from a country that's started 2 world wars, sold weapons to iraq for oil, side-stepping UN sanctions, then has the gall to take a self-exalted moral high ground."

"Wonderful commentary from our German "allies." We in America can care less about what a country like Germany has to say about the U.S. Just remember the next time you let another fascist such as Hitler take over your country, don't come looking to us. Screw Europe."

"The majority of German brains have been adversely affected by global warming - they're definitely fried."

no, nothing more its to depressing.

What I don't understand why these reactions are like the behavior of people that know the criticizing person is right and just cannot get to admit it to themselves.

by PeWi on Thu Sep 1st, 2005 at 05:44:42 PM EST
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