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June 26, 2009

Martin Bickel

Merkel and Obama might not be best friends, but they don't have to be. They are both professional politicians, who pursue their nation's interests very well. And transatlantic cooperation is in US and German national interests.

Sure, there are some disagreements, but the common ground dominates.

Moreover, I believe real friendship does not exist between politicians anyway.

This gives me hope for German-American cooperation:

"The German government is praising the American Clean Energy and Security Act under debate now - "The German government welcomes this debate on climate protection and would like to see the United States commit itself to binding reduction targets at the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen,'' the government said in a statement today.
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/06/merkel_clim...

June 28, 2009

Donald Stadler, Self-employed, Diamond Contributor (1052)

Is German-American cooperation terribly important? I think not. The United States has gotten used to a lack of German cooperation over many years; perhaps the Germans are more concerned, because Germany has still enjoyed considerable services provided by the US taxpayers despite successive German govenments having ceased it's own cooperation. That era may be drawing to an end.

I can see why some German may be concerned about this, but fail to see why the US needs be concerned.

If Germans wish to draw closer to the US that will require some sacrifices on Germany's part. I think Obama is not married to the Atlanticist point of view; it's one reason I voted for him. While that may seem cold to many, I don't see it that way. I believe that Obama is merely following the lead of the Germans in creating a certain froideur in the relationship. If Germany behaves as a neutral toward the US, the US can behave the same way toward Germany.

June 28, 2009

Colette Grace Mazzucelli, Hofstra University / New York University, Platinum Contributor (333)

Dear Atlantic-Community.org Colleagues:

In my experience, it is important to consider relationships at all levels of government between countries and across the functional areas for which different ministries are responsible.

It is true that the relations between leaders at the highest levels are significant. Leadership changes, as we know, along with the tone set between particular pairs of leaders like Bush 41 and Kohl or Bush 43 and Schroeder.

It is the civil servants that remain after elections in each country and the relationships that they are able to forge, which can provide continuity in policy making.

So much work is done behind the scenes. There is only so much accuracy in newspaper reports, which at times do not get the story right.

Common interests will determine the ways in which the Federal Republic of Germany and the United States of America work together. It is still early in the Obama Administration. The House has just passed a bill to address climate change. This can be the start of a new chapter in the legislation process in this important policy area inside the Congress.

The debate in the Senate on this legislation is likely to be sharper. The bill also falls short of some European countries' expectations and standards.

Chancellor Merkel does recognize the domestic change the bill suggests on America's social and political scene. There is still much more work to be done in this area, and others, particularly peacekeeping operations, on the transatlantic front in the years ahead.

The bilateral relationship is important. The weaker link is the European Union-United States relationship. German leadership in the Union's peacekeeping operations is critical as the EU27 prepare to overcome the limbo that still haunts the Lisbon Treaty.

If Ireland can ratify in the fall, by next year the Union should be able to move ahead in external relations. It is up to the Swedish Presidency in the second term of this year to close the second Trio Presidency's (France-Czech Republic-Sweden) agenda with German support in key areas like the on-going financial crisis, climate change and external energy security as well as the Eastern partnership and relations with Russia.

Transatlantic issue areas like nuclear diplomacy with Iran and the Middle East peace process require the political will to forge a common agenda. Political will can be sapped when other issue areas dominate the Union's agenda. On the Western Balkans enlargement, difficulties are likely to remain owing to "enlargement fatigue" among key Union member states, of which Germany is one.

It is the structural deficiencies that a larger Union must address, which require German leadership working with the smaller as well as the larger member states and the European institutions to create agreements that are more than simply the lowest common denominator of collective state interests.

Germany cannot rely only on the French-German engine. It must continue to find opportunities to identify key areas defined by successive Trio Presidencies to reinvigorate the integration process.

This is most challenging amidst the global financial crisis. The potential ratification of the Lisbon Treaty can provide necessary momentum to help define a new chapter in the Union's external relations.

The Union's identity is likely to stand out less in the specific transatlantic framework and much more in those areas around the world where countries must rebuild after the devastating effects of ethnic conflicts and civil wars.

It is the Union's vocation in conflict prevention where Germany can take the lead. The United States can define its own interests working with a Europe that has a critical role to play bringing together EU financial assets and the Union's diverse experiences in different areas where conflict looms.

This requires not only a diplomatic effort; civil-military action is also necessary in police training, for example. Territories once torn by conflict are vulnerable to more conflict. These areas are identifiable by those knowledgeable in the field.

The billions spent in occupations like Iraq can serve a more pragmatic purpose preventing conflict, genocide and devastation in different parts of the world, particularly Africa and Asia.

Sincere regards and greetings from New York, Colette Mazzucelli

June 29, 2009

Jan-Friedrich Kallmorgen, Atlantic Initiative, Silver Contributor (35)

Check out Mariam Lau's piece in Welt Online: http://www.welt.de/wams_print/article4014823/Ein-Kolleg-unter-Freun...

Key sentence:

Es gibt keine zwei amtierenden Regierungschefs, die sich in ihrem Denken so ähnlich wären wie Merkel und Obama. Wenn sie miteinander reden, stützt er die Ellbogen auf die Knie, legt die Hände gefaltet an die Stirn und hört zu wie ein Luchs. Seine Fachleute werfen ein Wort ein, ihre Fachleute werfen ein Wort ein, und auch die beiden selbst stecken voll bis zum Rand mit Statistiken, Wirtschaftsdaten, Kosten-Nutzen-Abwägungen. Wie die Aussichten für die Maschinenbauindustrie stehen, was Ärzte denken und welche Argumente die Israelis für den Siedlungsbau ins Feld führen - all dies balancieren sie in ihren Köpfen. "Aus diesem Regierungsstil ist alles Pompöse verschwunden", beschreibt ein Mitglied der Delegation. Sie nennen es "Kolleg".


I think that says it al....

June 29, 2009

Donald Stadler, Self-employed, Diamond Contributor (1052)

"I think that says it al...."

Arguably, except that I can't read Deutsch. I ran it through Babelfish, but All I got
was - babble. ;(

June 29, 2009

Natalie Catherine Chwalisz, Atlantic Community, Bronze Contributor (22)

Here an English summary of Mr. Kallmorgen’s comments:

There are no two head of state that think more alike than Merkel and Obama. When they talk together, he leans his head on his folded hands and listens carefully. His political advisors add something, so do hers, and they are both surrounded by statistics, economic data, cost-benefit analyses. How are the prospects for engine building industry, what doctors think and which are the leading Israeli arguments for continued settlements— all these questions are balanced in their heads. “This style of governance has been stripped of everything pompous,” states a member of the delegation. They call it a “course of lectures.”

June 30, 2009

Felix Reimer, 4flow AG, (4)

While I do agree that Merkel and Obama share a smiliar thinking style, it is no surprise that the right-leaning WELT newspaper considered the chancellor's visit a success.

Even Schröder and Bush 43's disagreements didn't bring German-U.S. relations to an end. There might have been fewer press conferences and state visits, but intelligence data gained by German BND agents was still being shared with the U.S. forces during the Iraq war. A warm personal relationship between leaders might be helpful insome cases, but its lack doesn't hurt most of the times. Sometimes, closeness between leaders might even harm a leader's standing at home--as was the case with the male bonding between Schröder and Putin or Blair and Bush--thereby weakening a government's position in bilateral relations.

Much more interesting is the praise Obama heaps upon Merkel. During his recent visit to Germany, his delegation was very careful not to deliver to many photo-ops with the two leaders. Now that reluctance seems to be gone--potentially a sign that the White House is confident that Merkel will be re-elected in the September general elections?

Donald Stadler, when you talk about "considerable services provided by the US taxpayers despite successive German govenments having ceased it's own cooperation," which services are you referring to?

July 1, 2009

Donald Stadler, Self-employed, Diamond Contributor (1052)

It's such a tiny thing I'm almost ashamed to mentuon it, Felix.

60 years of security guarantees to NATO. Germany was on the front line for most of that time, and still benefits although: "Out of sight, out of mind".

I've learned some incredibly interesting things the past few years from various Germans; primarily that the Germans have sacrificed far more to the cause than the US ever did; that in fact that the US is the sole beneficiary from NATO.

Interesting indeed. Methinks we should act immediately to relieve the burden of our morally suspect presence.....

July 1, 2009

Felix Reimer, 4flow AG, (4)

I do recognize the important role played by the U.S. in post-World War II Germany. I was born in the GDR and I know how lucky I am to live in a free, unified Germany today that probably would not be there if not for the U.S.

That being said, it is hard to see how that would be in any way relevant for future relations between our countries. It is nice to remember the good ol' times every once in a while, of course, but at the same time the U.S. did not protect West Germany from Soviet occupation without the tiniest bit of self-interest.

I still do not see how "successive German govenments [have] ceased it's own cooperation." The first time I recall a German government openly refusing to support a U.S. administration in a key international issue was when the U.S. went to war in Iraq--a refusal that did not stem from ingratitude, but from a foresight most Americans today wish their own government had shown at the time.

July 1, 2009

Donald Stadler, Self-employed, Diamond Contributor (1052)

Felix,

A familiar argument. And oldie but a goodie. If I may summarize two among many of the arguments I have heard Germans advance:

Argumentum 'ancient history': You were brlilliant during the Berlin airlift, but shite ever since. It's ancient history, Deautschland owes nothing to you.

Argumentum 'national socialist': Germans are virtuous democrats sans pariel; America is the natural successor to defunct Italian and German political movements of the 1920's. VDSP owe nothing to NS, indeed it causes the most extreme pain to VDSP's being associated in any way with NS's. QED no action from VDSP's to uphold NS....

Came as quite a shock to learn that I was a NS during my late 40's as I'm sure you can imagine. And me without even a membership card. But can 5 million Germans marching in the streets be wrong; I think not!

Writing as an NS, I can sincerely assure you that as an evil NS I feel equal pain at being yoked with a bunch of VDSP's. It behooves us to dissolve the link....