I do think it is intriguing...and significant...that Merkel is calling for the closure of Guantanemo. I am curious as to what might behind this for her...but, nonetheless, good for her!!

"Once in awhile we get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if we look at it right" - Hunter/Garcia

Indeed I am surprised.

As in my impression, Merkel is a cold-calculating power politician who tailors what she says as a function of the power groups and sectors of public opinion she tries to rely on at the moment, what I wonder is whom she wants to please. SPD voters she wants to draw over to the CDU? A CDU base that was less-than-enthusiastic about Pflüger's foreign policy line? Or did she pre-empt a media or public opinion outcry had she wetnt just all friendly to Washington? Or did Schäuble gave her some less obvious advice?

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

As important as this statement is, the original German contains one tiny word that is not reflected in the English translation.

"Eine Institution wie Guantanamo kann und darf auf Dauer so nicht existieren."

Thus, I make the translation to be:

"An institution like Guantanamo can and should not exist in the longer term in this [or: its present] form."

Some people might use "so" as a filler in spoken German. But in Germany, it is customary for print media to submit interview transcripts to the interviewees prior to publication. If this meaning wasn't intended the Chancellory would presumably have requested that this be amended.

Merkel is trying to be critical without being categorical, methinks.


The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

Merkel is heading a socialdemocratic / christian democratic coalition and she understands only too well that she has to pursue the Schröder line if she wants to succeed. And even better: The lesson of her defeat at the last elections has made her radically change her former political line. It is very ironic to see that her policy proposals are far more left wing than Schröder's. And she can now implement what Schröder was not even in his wildest dreams hoping to accomplish, namely to make the public sector spend billions of euros to create new jobs. Also, the general climate has changed, too. The economic growth is up to 1.8 percent, consumer confidence is returning and people start to spend, companies invest. The new 25 bn worth occupation creation program will create 500.000 new direct jobs and another 250.000 secondary jobs. Add to that the seasonal drop of the winter unemployment (500.000) which will kick in in March and the sustained upswing of the economy resulting in 10.000 new jobs every month since last March we will see a 'turn of the tide'. Merkel is harvesting the fruits of the Schröder era. It is now possible to drastically reduce German unemployment by half and initiate an up spiralling process. And don't underestimate the Football World Cup this summer! The mass psychology factor (the Anglo Saxon spin masters call it: the feel good factor) is on Merkel's side. This allows her to broaden her electoral base. Well, that's fine for me. Merkel has become a social-democrat and the social democrats can become more socialist. Could it be better than that? I don't think so. The CDU/CSU wants to regain popular support as a centre mainstream party to reach again their 40 per cent national share. This leaves the SPD to re-occupy the lost ground to our left. Which is the Lafontaine and Gysi folks. As a matter of fact the PDS has become paralysed and mute in face of the new developments and will find it ever more difficult to put up a meaningful opposition against the socialdemocratic government policy. It is this in front of background that Merkel goes to visit the Whitehouse. The girl has swum herself free, she is in a better position than Schröder ever was and it is only normal that she will talk with Bush at eye to eye level.  

"The USA appears destined by fate to plague America with misery in the name of liberty." Simon Bolivar, Caracas, 1819