There is an eagerness in the US to finally engage in serious talks with Berlin. The German election campaign put many important topics on ice until a new government was elected.

"Washington and the new US administration gladly granted Merkel this grace period," said Himmelreich. "But now President Obama would like to know what the new German government thinks about transatlantic relations and Obama himself will surely also express his ideas and wishes."

His colleague Hulsman put it more bluntly, calling it "put up or shut up time."

(The Empire is undead.)


_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}